Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls
by Zatoshi121
Summary: Story follows OC: Ayden as he travels through the Kanto Region to fulfill a promise to his brother and uncovers the mysteries of the organization Team Chaos and the hidden powers within himself they seek. The story basically follows the plot of the anime, but is a more mature version with my own take on how the events happen throughout. (Rated M for language and moderate violence)
1. A Fateful Encounter

**Hello! Thank you for choosing to read my story. I wanted to let you know that this story follows the anime episodes closely, however, it has my own original characters and a more mature take on how the events happen in the anime. I'll be posting chapters 2 and 3 within the next week or so. Afterward, I'll try to post on a monthly to bi-monthly bases, depending on my work schedule. I hope you enjoy the chapter and continue to follow the story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

As the sun began to set over the horizon, it bathed the surrounding area in a beautiful hue of blended soft colors that gave off a comfortable serene feel. The lights in the nearing city turned on one at a time as the sun slowly faded and the crisp November steadily fell colder.

A young boy named Ayden sat in the backseat of the car gazing out the window. His small hands pressed firmly on the glass and he occasionally moved his short and spiky black hair out of the way.

His brother, older by five years, sat next to him. He too shared the same jet-black hair color. He watched him as he continued to gaze out the window wearing a huge smile. His eyes sparkled with the infinite amount of colored lights and buildings.

As they made their way out of the highway and onto the mountain road, Ayden's brother continued to stare at him until Ayden finally took notice. "What? What are you staring at me for, Big Brother? Quit it!"

His brother smiled and chuckled. "Sorry, Ayden. I just can't believe you're five today. I hope you've had a great birthday so far."

Ayden nodded. "Yep, it was the best! The chocolate cake was really good! Mom makes the best chocolate cake!"

His mother, sitting in the front passenger seat, giggled. "Why thank you, Honey. I'm glad you've had fun today, but you have one more surprise coming up."

Ayden's face lit up. "Really? What is it? What is it?"

His parents looked at each other and then nodded. His mother turned in her seat and faced Ayden. "We're taking you to the finals of the Pokémon League at the Indigo Plateau."

Ayden beamed. He wanted to see the finals of the tournament more than anything else. He threw his hands in the air and screamed the biggest "yay" his voice could produce.

His brother laughed. "I had a feeling that would make your day!"

Ayden turned to him and smiled. "Hey, Big Brother! When you start your journey, which pokémon are you gonna pick?"

His brother put his hand to his chin and pretended to think for a moment. He turned back to Ayden and grinned. "That's a secret. Wouldn't want you choosing the type that has the advantage over mine."

Ayden scowled in frustration. "Hey! No fair, Big Brother!"

He laughed and ruffled up Ayden's hair. "What? Wouldn't it be more exciting if you didn't know which one I chose?"

Ayden thought for a moment. "Well… maybe. But I still wanna know! Come on! Tell me! Tell me!"

His brother crossed his arms. "No can do, Little Brother. If you want to find out so bad, you're gonna have to battle me to find out."

Ayden perked up at the challenge. "Fine! I'll go on a journey too and then I'll battle you! And I'm gonna win!"

His brother laughed. "Well, we'll see about that. By the time you fight me, I'd already reached my dream of winning the League tournament. But I look forward to the day you and I battle, Ayden. Promise me you'll become a great trainer and challenge me."

Ayden nodded. "You bet! It's a promise!"

* * *

Ayden felt a bump as the car went over a pothole and he opened his eyes. He slept with his head leaning against the bus window; his mind filled with visions of the dream, but they were quickly replaced with roars of the engine and the feeling of the bumpy road. He sat up, wiped his brow, and then combed his hand through his now metallic-silver hair. Around his neck hung a gold locket on a silver chain. He fiddled with it as he gazed out the window.

With his mind finally at ease, he sat back and thought about what the day had in store for him. He rode the Express Bus from Viridian City to Pallet Town to visit Professor Oak, the world's leading researcher on pokémon. Today, he would receive his first.

Ayden took the opportunity as the only other passenger on the bus to think. The driver, an elderly bald man with a gray beard who wore suspenders over a white shirt, spoke to Ayden in a voice that insinuated he'd smoked for years. Ayden paid him no mind. He had other things to focus on. He still hadn't decided which of the three starters he would choose. It had been eight years since he had made that promise to his brother. However, to Ayden, it honestly didn't matter. Any one of them would be fine, but to keep the promise, he had to choose the right one.

As Ayden continued to stare out the window thinking about which pokémon he would choose, something off in the woods caught his eye. A little yellow dot ran through the shrubbery. Behind it a couple of people dressed in all black and their pokémon, two Poochyena; a small gray wolf cub with a black face and red eyes, chased it.

He continued to watch the yellow dot run and fire off electric attacks at its pursuers. Suddenly, Ayden's eyes widened as a sudden jolt of pain struck his head. He attempted to ease the excruciating throbbing, but it simply intensified. He opened his eyes to a vision. A Pikachu, a small, yellow mouse pokémon with pointy long ears, red cheeks, and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt with the tip curved like a heart, had its limbs strapped to a table; its body attached to several cords and circuits. A person dressed in a white lab coat, forced a syringe into its body.

Its eyes widened as its body numbed from the injection. The scientist flipped a switch and the Pikachu writhed in pain as more and more energy invaded its body. Its cheeks changed colors from red to blue. Eventually, its body couldn't handle all the energy and the remaining amount was rejected. The flux caused all the lab equipment to catch fire and explode. The Pikachu shot an attack out of fear and broke free of the table. It ran out of the lab being quickly followed by the scientists.

The vision ended and Ayden's head stopped hurting. It happened again. Every so often, he would get involuntary visions. They would normally be of someone needing help and they were always right. He looked around and saw the Pikachu still running away from its pursuers.

At that moment, Ayden went up to the driver. "Sir, please, you have to let me off here!"

The driver looked at Ayden with an upturned eyebrow and then went back to focusing on the road. "Sonny, you know we're still quite a few miles from Pallet. If you get off here, the next bus won't come until later in the day."

Ayden placed his hand on the man's shoulders and gave him a look of unnerving determination. "I'm aware, but this is more important. Please, you have to stop this bus."

The driver still looked at him as though he were crazy, but gently applied the brake and opened the door. "Sonny, I hope you know what you're doing."

Ayden quickly hopped off and thanked the driver. He then took off as fast as he could toward the Pikachu.

* * *

Pikachu continued doing everything she could to evade its pursuers. The Poochyena continued to follow her scent and lead their trainers toward her. Pikachu fired an attack at them, but the fatigue affected her accuracy greatly, resulting in the attacks missing. Soon, they all came to the edge of a cliff. Pikachu looked down and then behind and saw her pursuers slowly advancing toward her. She went into a fighting stance, but her pursuers looked anything but worried.

One of them picked up a cigarette and lit it. After heaving a long puff, he grinned and then placed the cigarette in his mouth. "Look, stop making it harder on yourself and just come back with us. You've got nowhere to run and you're running out of steam. Face it, you've lost."

Pikachu gasped for air, exhausted from all the running and attacking. She slowly backed up until her feet dangled off the cliff.

One of the men grinned and then picked up a pokéball, a half red half white ball, and then hurled it at the frightened pokémon.

Pikachu braced herself, but then opened her eyes when she saw Ayden come through and smack the pokéball away. It flew off the cliff and into the river below.

The two men looked surprised as they stared at the kid who popped out of nowhere. He stood half their size and wore a dark purple shirt with baggy blue jeans and his long black jacket billowed behind him. His hazelnut eyes were fierce as he glared at the two men.

Ayden stood up and finally got a good look at them. Clad in all black, save for the large silver 'C' on their chests, they resembled robbers with their faces covered.

One of the men took a step toward Ayden. "Hey, kid, what do you think you're doing? Get lost!"

Ayden simply glared at the black clad pursuer. "I was about to tell you the same thing. I don't know who you are, but I really don't appreciate pokémon being used as test subjects." The men paused as they wondered how he knew about that. "Pokémon are not your playthings for you to do your sick experiments on. Forcing them to endure whatever your twisted minds come up with against its will really pisses me off. So, I'm only going to say this once. Leave this Pikachu alone. Otherwise, you'll be meeting up with your pokéball real soon."

Pikachu stared up at Ayden with relieved eyes. For the first time, someone actually cared about her well-being. There was something different about this human she couldn't figure out, but she felt she could place her trust in him.

The man with the cigarette heaved another puff and chuckled. "This kid's lost his mind. Acting all tough like that. What does he think he's gonna do? Come on, let's break him and get that Pikachu. Poochyena, Tackle!"

The Poochyena took a fighting stance, growled, and then charged at Ayden. Before it could get anywhere near him, an electric attack knocked it back at its master's feet.

Ayden looked at Pikachu as she positioned itself in front of him. "I see. So, you want to partner up against these guys?" Pikachu nodded and Ayden balled his hand. "All right, let's take them out."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out two black fingerless gloves and buckled them around his wrist. The man with the cigarette heaved another puff and then grinned. "Nice job winning that Pikachu over kid, but you've got no chance. She's already at her limit and you're outnumbered. Normally, I'd tell you to just get out of the way, but since you gave that little speech, I'm gonna enjoy snapping your little punk neck in half."

Both men ordered their Poochyena to attack together. Ayden looked at the oncoming pokémon and then ordered Pikachu to do Thundershock. Pikachu launched an attack, but not what Ayden had expected. Dazzling blue lightning emerged instead of the usual yellow. The attack took out both Poochyena and the two men, knocking all four of them to the ground.

Ayden froze in amazement. He looked at Pikachu and wondered how she did that. Pikachu heaved a few breaths before collapsing to the ground. Ayden ran up and gathered her in his arms. Pikachu opened her eyes and smiled at Ayden. "Hey, you did great. That was one powerful attack you did and don't worry, these guys won't be bothering you anymore."

* * *

With materials he found on them, Ayden tied the men to nearby trees and contacted the Viridian City police department. "That should do for now. You two behave yourselves until the police get here."

The men scowled. "You little brat! Untie us right now!"

Ayden ignored them and turned his attention to Pikachu. "Hey, these guys aren't going to hurt you anymore. You're free. Head on back into the forest. I bet your family's worried sick about you. But do me a favor. Keep an eye on these guys until the police get here, okay?"

Pikachu stared up at him as he walked away.

* * *

The sun rose directly overhead and the wind gave a soothingly warm breeze. It took until noon, but Ayden finally made it to Pallet Town. He looked over the city and its rustic atmosphere. The clean air filled his lungs and the sounds of nature filled his ears.

He wiped his brow and lightly smiled. "Big Brother, are you watching? I'm finally here in Pallet. I swear I'll keep our promise."

Ayden walked down the rough dirt road. He just made it to the top of the last hill when he saw Professor Oak's laboratory. The large white building stood at the heart of the town like a monument. In front of it, stood Professor Oak, an elderly man with short gray hair. He wore a long white lab coat over a red shirt and khaki pants. He stared at the sky as though he were waiting on something.

As he approached the lab, Professor Oak took notice of Ayden's arrival. His silver hair immediately caught the professor's eye. "Ah, you must be Ayden, yes? I've heard so much about you. Some of my colleagues say you're the 'New Generation Genius'. It is quite a pleasure to finally meet you."

The two shook hands and Ayden gave the professor a light smile. "Thank you, Professor, but the pleasure's all mine. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this day. I'm ready to get started on my journey."

Professor Oak looked at him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, Ayden, but I don't have any pokémon left to give out this year. All of them were taken."

Ayden's eyes widened in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. After all those years of studying and preparing, he wasn't going to be able to fulfill his brother's dream. "Professor, please! You have to have at least one more left? Please, I have to go on this journey!"

Professor Oak shook his head. "I know you do, Ayden, and I understand. Believe me, I do. However, I really don't have any more pokémon left to give out. The last one was taken not too long ago. I know it's frustrating, but you'll have to wait until next year."

Ayden felt all the warmth leave his body. He lowered his head and thought about what to do next. It didn't make any sense. He helped a pokémon in trouble, and yet, despite all he had done, he would pay the penalty. If he didn't go on this journey, he wouldn't be able to fulfill his promise. This is what one gets for helping others?

Professor Oak looked at Ayden with a concerned expression. "Ayden? Are you okay?"

Ayden straightened up and bowed to the professor. "Thank you for your time, Professor Oak."

With that, Ayden turned back toward the road and walked until he came across a boulder. He sat down, clenched his fists, and cursed himself for failing his brother. As he wondered what to do next, he heard rustling in the bushes. He looked up and saw the blue-cheeked Pikachu from before.

Ayden's eyes widened as he gazed at the electric mouse. "Hey, why did you follow me all the way out here? I thought you'd want to get back to your family."

Pikachu shook her head and spoke rapidly. Even though all she said was her name, Ayden understood her perfectly.

He knelt down. "Say, Pikachu, would you do me the honor of being my first pokémon?" She perked up at the thought. "I could use an earnest pokémon like you. I need to fulfill a promise to someone. With your help, I know I can keep it. So, what do you say?"

Ayden extended his hand out to her. Pikachu blushed while looking at his hand. Then she ran up his arm and onto his shoulders.

Ayden chuckled. "All right! Let's do it, just you and me, Piik!"

Pikachu looked at him for a moment and then smiled at the new nickname.

* * *

With that, Ayden ran back to Oak's lab. He banged on the door as loud as he could until the Professor finally opened. Confusion fell upon his face as Ayden stood in front of him. "Ayden, what a surprise. I honestly wasn't expecting you again so soon. What can I do for you?"

Ayden looked up at him. "Professor, I'd like to start my journey with this Pikachu."

Oak took notice of the Pikachu on Ayden's shoulder and instantly became fascinated. He had never seen a Pikachu like this before. The color of its cheeks was completely different from the norm. "My, this is certainly a very interesting Pikachu, Ayden. Where did you come across such a rare find?"

Ayden explained all that had happened prior to arriving in Pallet. Professor Oak nodded in understanding. "I see, well that's what I'd call a 'fateful encounter'. I'm sure you'll have plenty of those along your journey." He headed toward the back of his lab and came back with a small red device and a few pokéballs. "Here you go, my boy. A few pokéballs to help get you started, and your own pokédex. Please help me continue my research by encountering lots of new and unseen pokémon. I'm sure you and Pikachu here will be very successful. Good luck to you both."

Ayden bowed and thanked the professor. He activated one of the pokéballs and tapped Piik on the forehead with it. She disappeared in a beam of red light into the pokéball. The ball wiggled in Ayden's hand for a moment before sitting still after a loud 'click'.

A moment later, Piik burst out of the pokéball and ran up Ayden's head. She shivered and stared at the pokéball, the horrid device that gave her nightmares back in the lab.

Professor Oak leaned in with his fingers scratching his chin. "This is unusual. Ordinarily, pokémon stay in their pokéballs. This one however, simply refuses to go anywhere near one."

"She hates pokéballs. That's okay though, she can ride on my shoulder. I think she prefers it better, right?"

Piik nodded and wished he'd put the pokéball away.

Professor Oak nodded as his understanding of the situation became clearer. "Well then, my boy, you seem to have everything under control. I wish you two the best of luck."

Ayden gave a nod and left the lab. He had everything he needed to start his journey. Now he could finally fulfill that promise.

* * *

Ayden and Piik walked until they came to a clearing around mid-afternoon. Ayden saw how Piik barely kept up with him and knew she needed to take a break. They sat in front a tree with a thick trunk. He reached into his bag and pulled out a chocolate bar. He gave half of it to Piik and watched her gobble it up. He chuckled as he looked at her voraciously scarf down the bar and getting chocolate over her cheeks and paws. He thought about all she had been through and how her trust in humans had nearly diminished. He wanted to make sure she never felt that way again.

As he took a bite out of his half of the bar, an explosion drew his attention. Smoke spread throughout the clearing, covering it in a thick black cloud. Ayden grabbed Piik and held her close.

He heard growling and narrowly dodged a pokémon as it charged toward him. Another one pounced and scratched his leg before disappearing into the cover of the smoke.

Soon the smoke dissipated and he found two people dressed in black waiting for him with their Poochyena standing in front ready for the next set of orders. They both had a large 'C' on their shirts. Ayden held Piik closer as he recognized them as the men from before.

One of them pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "You almost got us, kid. A little bit after you left, that rat took off after you. We used that chance to get away. And we're not letting you off the hook so easy this time. We're gonna make sure to retrieve that Pikachu and pay you back for what you did."

Ayden looked at Piik as she coughed and gasped for air. The smoke took its toll on her and she barely had any strength left.

He turned his attention to the two men. "Who are you two and what do you want with Piik?"

The one with the cigarette scoffed. "I suppose there's no harm telling you. We're members of Team Chaos. We specialize in obtaining the powers of the gods."

Ayden looked at them in confusion. "Power of the gods? What are you talking about?"

He took another puff of smoke. "We seek to harness the powers of legendary pokémon and use that power on our own pokémon."

The moment he said that, it all became clear to Ayden. The vision he saw of Piik in the lab finally made sense. "So, you used the powers of a legendary on Piik, huh?"

The Chaos member took one last deep puff before throwing the cigarette down and extinguishing it. "That's right, and we're taking it back with us. We need to figure out the limits of the Power Transfer. Considering that rat is the only one to survive the experiment, we need to do further testing on it."

Ayden trembled trying to keep his rage in. It was inconceivable to him how anyone could do such a thing to living creatures.

Both men laughed. "What's wrong, boy? With that rat drained, you can't fight back this time, huh? Poochyena, take this brat down!"

At his command the Poochyena charged at Ayden. As Ayden thought about what do to, Piik jumped from his arms and charged up her cheeks. She fired with everything she had, but the Poochyena simply side-stepped. She braced herself for the assault when Ayden stepped in front of her and took the attacks himself. Both Poochyena sank their fangs deep into his arm and leg.

Ayden simply turned to Piik and lightly smiled. "Don't worry, Piik, everything's fine."

The two men clenched their fists in frustration. "Poochyena, quit playing around and finish that brat off! Use your Shadow Ball!"

Both Poochyena obeyed the order and fired a spiraling black ball toward Ayden. Both attacks hit their mark. When the smoke cleared, Ayden stood with his arms covering his face. He looked up and the two men were taken aback. His eyes changed colors. His left eye turned to an icy blue while his right, a fiery gold. After a bit, his eyes returned to their normal hazelnut color.

"If you think, I'm going to let you hurt Piik, my first pokémon, you're sadly mistaken."

One of the men turned to his smoking superior. "Sir, could he be the one we're looking for?"

The other nodded. "Yeah, there's no mistaking it. He definitely has it. Change of plans. Forget the Pikachu, we're taking the kid. Poochyena, Shadow Ball!"

Poochyena followed up with another set of attacks. Piik jumped in and countered. An explosion followed causing both men to cover their eyes. Piik hid behind Ayden while he stood his ground.

The attacks caught the attention of a spearow nearby. In its rage, Spearow called out to its brethren. Soon after the smoke cleared, a giant flock of spearow flew toward them. They attacked, trying to protect their area from the invaders.

The Chaos grunts tried swatting the spearow away with no luck. Ayden covered Piik as the spearow attacked him. Their claws and beaks shredded his clothes and torn into his skin; but he continued to shield Piik. "Don't worry, Piik. I won't let anything happen to you."

The Chaos grunts tried to get out of the spearows' line of fire, but they would simply follow them to another part of the clearing. "Poochyena! Shadow Ball!"

The Poochyena fired their attacks at the flock and caused the spearow to temporarily disperse. Ayden took that moment and ran. The Chaos grunts tried to follow, but one half of the flock continued their attacks on them while the other half followed Ayden.

Ayden ran through the woods until he came to a cliff. He looked down and saw a river below. The moment he saw the water, his body froze. His breathing shallowed and sweat dampened his brow down to his neck.

The sound of the spearow woke him up. They approached with amazing speed, closing the distance between them. Ayden closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped. The moment he hit the water; everything went black. His body wouldn't move and he couldn't even feel the river carry him away.

* * *

The warm afternoon air swept through the forest rustling the leaves and swaying the tree branches. On the side of the river, two young ladies sat with their fishing poles firmly in place. They stared at their lures as they danced along the ripples of the river.

One of them tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear and then rested her head on her hands. "Kinda slow day for fishing, huh? We haven't caught a thing. What do you think, Mendy?"

Mendy took a long yawn, stretched, and then laid back on the earth. She tucked her hands behind her head as she gazed up at the sky. "Well, it could be worse. I'm sure we'll get a big catch coming up soon. Just be a little more patient, Nami."

Nami heaved a large sigh and turned to her carefree compatriot. "That's what you said three hours ago! And again an hour after that! This is the last time I let you pick the fishing spot!"

Mendy giggled and shrugged. "Hey, can't win 'em all. Just relax and let our lines do all the work. This is supposed to be a relaxing journey, remember?"

Nami looked at her and then toward the ground. "Hey, Mendy, are you sure you're-,"

Mendy interrupted her before she finished the question. "I've already told you. I don't want to talk about it. I made this decision and I'm going to go through with it. So just drop it already."

Nami backed off. She knew the sensitivity of the topic, but still wanted verification. Her attention soon switched to Mendy's fishing line. "Hey, looks like you've finally caught something!"

Mendy jumped up and took hold of her fishing pole. It jerked her forward, but she regained her footing. "Nami! Help me real this sucker in! This is it! The one we've been waiting for!"

Nami took hold of her waist and pulled as hard as she could. With one final pull, they heaved their catch out of the river and onto the bank. However, what they caught surprised them into confusion. They didn't expect to catch a boy holding a Pikachu. His torn clothes and scratched up body quickly caught their attention.

"Nami! Get the first-aid out of my backpack! Hurry!"

Nami went straight for Mendy's yellow backpack and shifted through the contents. Mendy placed her ear on the boy's chest. Although slight, she felt him breathing. She then checked the Pikachu and found her alive as well.

* * *

A bright light blinded him. His ears filled with car horns and screeching tires. He felt the car hit the guardrail and topple over. The car did several flips before it finally hit the ocean.

The moment the vehicle hit the water, Ayden's eyes shot open and he gasped for air. He looked around and saw a girl standing over him with a first-aid box in her hands. She had purple hair that extended to her shoulders, and had bright sky-blue eyes. She wore jeans and a black tank top.

He listened to her motion Nami over. Nami had green eyes and brown hair tied in a ponytail. She wore denim shorts and a pink hoodie.

He sat up and then remembered the spearow and the two guys from Team Chaos. He looked down at Piik and stood up.

Mendy placed her hands on his shoulders. "Wait, you have to take it easy. We still need to give you and your Pikachu first-aid."

Ayden knocked her hand away. "No, first-aid won't help Piik. She's been through too much for simple bandages. She needs to get to a Pokémon Center."

Nami stepped up. "We understand that. But it'll help your Pikachu to have a few bandages on her injuries. You could use some as well."

Ayden turned and faced the two. "Don't you get it? This is more than just a few wounds, this is-,"

He trailed off when he saw the flock of spearow headed in their direction. He didn't have time to argue, he had to get Piik out of there. He looked around and saw a bicycle near the backpacks. He ran up to it and kicked up the brake.

Mendy called out to him. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? That's my bike!"

Ayden mounted it and turned toward her. "You can pick it up at the Viridian Pokémon Center. I need to get Piik there as fast as possible."

He took off through the forest leaving the two girls bewildered.

* * *

Ayden pedaled as hard as he could trying to out speed the flock of spearow and carry Piik in one arm. Storm clouds quickly gathered and the rain came just as fast. Ayden ignored it all. He only had one thing on his mind, to get Piik to the Pokémon Center.

Piik opened her eyes and smiled at Ayden. Ayden looked at her and lightly smiled. "Don't worry, Piik. We're almost there. Just hang on!"

The bike wobbled in the midst of the speed and the heavy rain. He regained his balance before a large rock caught the front wheel. He lost control and they both fell off the bike. He landed on his arm, scrapping off the skin down to the elbow, and Piik fell on her side. He looked up and saw the spearow had caught up with them.

He stared up at them and watched as they analyzed him over. In front of the flock was a spearow with an x-shaped scar over its left eye. The other spearow had it well within their sights as if waiting for it to make the command.

Ayden concluded that had to be the leader. It waited for him to try and run away again. He looked over at Piik and then down at the ground. He had to think of a way out of this. He couldn't afford to be beaten now.

He felt something touch his leg and turned to see Piik beside him. She gave him a reassuring smile and then slowly stood up. She knew she didn't have enough energy left, but if she could pull off one more attack for the one person who thought of her as more than just an experiment, who went out of his way to save her from that kind of life, then she prepared herself to risk everything.

Ayden lightly smiled and then stood up as well. "Well, if you're not willing to give up, then who am I to complain? Do you hear that, spearow? Hit us with everything you've got!" At that, the spearow all charged in every direction. As soon as they closed in, Ayden called the attack. "Piik, Thundershock!"

Piik ran up his leg and jumped off his shoulder. The moment Piik launched the attack, a bolt of lightning crashed down on her. Her attack lit up the sky and electrified the air. With the extra energy, Piik's attack resulted in a whirling blue sphere of electricity. Every spearow took the attack and their squawks echoed throughout the forest.

Ayden saw an opportunity. He took a pokéball out and threw it at the flock. Before he could see it connect, the electric attack caused an explosion knocking everything away.

Ayden awoke face down on the ground. The sleeves of his jacket stuck to his arm as the blood spilled out. Piik lay next to him and in no better shape. The bike he borrowed lay battered, torched, and unrecognizable. However, the two looked at each other and managed to smile. "We… won."

Piik nodded. Ayden rolled over and found his pokéball near a bush. He stood up, took Piik in his arms, and picked up the ball. He examined it and lightly smiled. In the midst of all the chaos, he had managed his first capture, the leader of the flock of spearow.

The sunlight grew dim as the sun set behind the mountains, but Ayden and Piik had finally made it out of the woods and into Viridian City.

* * *

With their Poochyena leading the way, the two members of Team Chaos stepped out of the forest and gazed up at Viridian City. One of them lit a cigarette and then picked up his cell phone. "Hey, Captain! Tell the boss we found the Carrier. He's headed for the Viridian City Pokémon Center. Yeah, we'll be sure to bring him back alive."


	2. Pokémon Center Showdown

**CHAPTER 2**

The sun glistened over Viridian as it set behind the mountains. The street lights came on as the hour grew late and the bustling city fell into silence. The Police Department building stood near the entrance of the city where a young female officer checked her watch then stood up from her desk.

She picked up the microphone for the P.A. system and took a deep breath. "Attention, citizens of Viridian City! Attention, citizens of Viridian City! We have reports of pokémon thieves within our area! If you see anything suspicious, please contact the Viridian City Police Department! Repeat: We have reports of pokémon thieves within our area! If you see anything suspicious, please contact the Viridian City Police Department!"

She hung up the microphone and gazed out the window. "I say that, but even with the reports, these thieves keep slipping away. It's like no matter what we do, they're always two steps ahead of us. If it keeps up like this-," She trailed off when she saw a young man of early teens running down the street. He had silver hair and carried a Pikachu in his arms. "Well, speak of the devil."

* * *

Ayden finally made his way to the top of the street overlooking the city. In the distance, he could see the red roof of the Pokémon Center.

He leaned against a nearby building and caught his breath. "Just hang on, Piik. We're almost there."

He took his next step and then paused. His vision blurred and he fell over. He lay on the pavement taking in deep breaths when he heard a voice from a distance. He looked up and saw a female officer run toward him. She wore a blue uniform with white gloves, skirt, and black high heels.

She wrapped his arm around her shoulder and stood him up. "Young man! Are you okay? What happened? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Ayden calmed his breathing long enough to respond. "Officer Jenny. Please, you have to help me get Piik to the Pokémon Center as soon as possible. She's in really bad shape."

Jenny looked over both Ayden and Piik and nodded. "I understand. Don't worry I'll get you there. Come on, this way."

She led him to the other side of the Police Department to a double-door garage. When she opened the door, a motorcycle with a side car awaited them. Once she strapped Ayden and herself in, she turned on her sirens and sped down the street.

As they drove away, the two Chaos grunts came out from behind a building. One of them clicked his tongue and punched his palm. "Damn! Just another minute and that brat would've been ours!"

The other took out a cigarette and lit it. "Don't worry. We know where he's going and he doesn't have the energy to fight back. All we have to do is follow them."

* * *

The city had been blanketed by the darkness of night by the time Ayden and Jenny made it to the Pokémon Center. Jenny swiftly parked the motorcycle at the entrance and helped Ayden inside.

The bright lights of the spacious lobby nearly blinded Ayden as he entered. A young woman, with pink hair tied in twintail loops, stood behind the check-in counter. She wore a pink dress with a white nurse apron and white shoes. Her hands moved at blinding speeds as she typed away on her computer.

When Officer Jenny and Ayden approached the counter, she finally looked up and gasped when she saw Ayden. "My word! What happened?"

Jenny quickly voiced Ayden's request. "Nurse Joy, we need your help! This pokémon is in serious trouble!"

Joy nodded and went back to her computer. She typed in a bit of data and then pressed a button on her PA system. Her voice echoed throughout the entire center. "Chansey, I need a stretcher for a small electric pokémon ASAP!"

It didn't take long for her pokémon to comply with her request. Soon, two pink egg-like pokémon came out of the back wheeling the stretcher. Joy took Piik from Ayden's arms and gently placed her on it.

Ayden then took out spearow's pokéball and gave it to her. "Please treat spearow as well."

With a smile, Joy took the pokéball and placed it on the stretcher next to Piik. "Don't worry. Your pokémon are in good hands. Just leave everything to me. Chansey, would you please take these pokémon to the ER."

Chansey kindly nodded and wheeled the stretcher through the double-doors. Joy put on her gloves and followed her pokémon. When she disappeared behind the doors, the light above the entrance turned on and Ayden let out a breath of relief.

Jenny placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, your pokémon aren't the only ones needing treatment. Come on, you need to get to a hospital."

Ayden shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm okay. It looks worse than it really is. I just need to rest for a bit. Besides, I want to be here for Piik when she gets out. I have to make certain she's okay."

Jenny looked at him for a bit before giving in. "Okay. Looks like you've already made up your mind. I'll leave you to it then. Take care of yourself, young man."

With that, she left the Center, mounted her bike, and took off. As soon as she disappeared out of eyesight, Ayden fell to the floor. He leaned against the check-in counter until he caught enough breath to pick himself back up. He made his way to the couches and plopped down on the green leather. The softness of the couch relaxed his body to an instant sleep.

* * *

The two Chaos grunts approached the Center and gazed at the building with wide grins. The one with the cigarette took it from his mouth, exhaled one last puff and then threw it away.

He picked up his phone and initiated a call. "Hey, Captain! Yeah, we're outside the Pokémon Center. Just like we predicted, the brat's made his way to it. Yeah, we're just outside. We're about to go in." His grinning face quickly faded. "What? What do you mean wait until backup comes? There's no need for that! He's injured! We can handle it on our own!"

As their Captain continued to speak to him, his face darkened with anger. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Yeah, understood." He hung up the phone and threw it at the ground splitting it in two. "That infuriating piece of-," he settled back down, cleared his throat, and recomposed himself. "Come on, we're going in and getting the kid."

His partner looked at him in shock. "What about the Captain?"

He took out another cigarette, lit it, took in a deep breath and exhaled before chuckling. "Don't worry about that. Once we're done here and bring the kid back, the Captain will be taking orders from us."

* * *

A bright light blinded Ayden and the sound of honking horns and screeching tires deafened his ears. The car crashed into the guard rail and flipped over. The moment it hit the water, Ayden sprang up gasping for air. He shivered as he took in his surroundings and clutched the locket around his neck. He soon calmed down and remembered he fell asleep at the Pokémon Center. His mind went back to his dream, the same dream that'd been haunting him every night for eight years. He wiped away the beads of sweat and looked up at the clock on the wall. It read 21:34. He looked over at the ER room and saw the light hadn't turned off.

Just then, the light above the ER room turned off and the doors opened. Ayden rushed over and saw Nurse Joy and Chansey wheel Piik and Spearow out. "Nurse Joy, how are they?"

Joy greeted Ayden with a smile. "Both Pikachu and Spearow are doing just fine. It's a good thing you got them here so fast. They've gotten through the worst part. Just give them a little bit of rest and they should be fine."

Ayden heaved a sigh of relief and looked at his sleeping pokémon. He'd just started his journey and already so much had happened. If he never had that vision, he wouldn't have met Piik or saved her from Team Chaos. He then remembered about the two in the forest and if they had followed him or not.

He looked around frantically for them, making Joy slightly concerned. "Is everything okay, young man? You seem troubled."

Ayden continued to look around. He couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling. He looked toward the windows and saw two large spheres of dark matter approach.

He quickly pushed the stretcher, Joy, and Chansey back into the ER. "Get down!"

They all heard the windows shatter and the lobby break apart as the attacks crashed their way through. The two Chaos grunts smiled as they stepped into the Center with their Poochyena ready for another battle.

"Screw waiting for backup! We're taking control! Get out here, you brat! We know you're in here! You escaped one too many times! If you don't hurry and get out here, we'll keep attacking the Center until we find you!"

They launched another wave of attacks and the entire Center shook. Ayden knew it. They followed him all the way here. And with Piik and Spearow resting, he had no way of combating their assaults.

Joy gazed on with a horrified look. "What's going on? Who are those people?"

Ayden turned to her. "Nurse Joy, contact Officer Jenny and let her know what's going on. Then, try to get as many pokémon as you can to safety."

He stood up and approached the door. His hand pushed it open when she stopped him. "Wait, what about you?"

He turned back to her. "I'll draw their attention. In the meantime, please keep Piik and Spearow safe."

With that, he went through the doors. The moment he stepped into the lobby, the two grunts turned toward him and their smiles widened. "Well, well, well, look who decided to show up. We've been waiting for ya. Whoever would've guessed a little brat would cause us so much trouble?"

Ayden glared at the two with unnerving eyes. "Why are you guys here? What do you want?"

The man with the cigarette exhaled another puff then snapped his fingers. His Poochyena charged at Ayden and tackled him in the stomach. The force knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying to the other side of the room. Ayden gripped his stomach as he rolled on the glass littered floor.

"We're not obliged to answer that, kid." The grunts approached him slowly and the one with the cigarette stomped on his chest. "Does it hurt, kid? Come on, show us what you did earlier. Change your eyes again. Come on!"

He eased off to give Ayden a chance to speak. Ayden coughed and gasped for air. "W-what… are you… talking about?"

The other grunt picked Ayden up by the shirt. "Trying to play dumb, huh? Fine, we'll do this the hard way. I've been wanting to do this anyway. You're gonna pay for all the trouble you've caused us."

He kneed Ayden in the gut. Ayden's screams carried throughout the Center and reached Piik's ears. She woke up, looked around, and saw Spearow still asleep and Joy transporting pokéballs to another center while talking frantically on the phone. She hopped off the stretcher and went through the double doors. When she walked into the lobby, her eyes widened at what she saw.

The two Chaos grunts ruthlessly attacked Ayden using everything they could think of from their fists to their pokémon. Piik launched an attack before they could hit him again. The blast hit both men and their pokémon, knocking them back.

Piik ran up to Ayden and shook him awake. Ayden sat up and greeted his pokémon with blood oozing out his mouth and nose. "Piik, how… are you feeling? What are you… doing up? You should be… getting more rest."

Piik shook her head and spoke rapidly. How could she possibly rest with all this going on? She couldn't stand by and let the one human who actually cared about her get hurt. Ever since he saved her from those two, she decided to pledge her life for him. That's why she followed him when he told her to watch those two back in the forest. He kept saying about a promise he wanted to keep, so she swore to herself she would do everything she could to see that he kept it. She ended her rant by hugging his head.

Even though all she said was her name, Ayden understood her perfectly. "I'm sorry, Piik. I didn't mean to worry you. If we're going to be a team, we need to start working together, right? Come on, let's take these guys down for good this time."

Piik perked up and stood in front of Ayden battle ready. Ayden slowly got up and wiped the blood off his face.

The grunts got up and turned to face them. The man with the cigarette spat it out and extinguished it. "I've had it up to here with you, kid! You and that Pikachu are coming back with us! I don't care if I have to break every bone in your damn body!"

Both men ordered their Poochyena to attack. Ayden stood calmly and looked at the opposition. "Piik, let's end this! Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged up her cheeks with everything she had. Her rage boiled throughout her entire body as the image of Ayden getting attacked flashed through her mind. She couldn't forgive them for what they did to him. She'd make sure they suffered the same pain a thousand times over.

The electricity changed from yellow sparks to blue volts. The voltages sparked outward and encircled her body then engulfed her in a sphere of violet electricity. Just as the Poochyena approached, she launched her attack. Streams of blue electricity hit both pokémon and the grunts, blasting them out of the Center and onto the street.

The aftermath of the attack caused the remaining windows of the Center to shatter and the streetlights to flicker and blow out. The two men lay sprawled on the ground, paralyzed along with their pokémon.

Piik stood panting, but proud. She defeated the enemy, the enemy that hurt her trainer. The rush left her and she fell onto the floor.

Ayden ran to her and looked at her in disbelief. He didn't know what move she used, but after seeing her safe, he didn't care. He picked her up and gave her a hug. "Piik, you really are one of a kind."

Piik smiled and hugged Ayden back. A moment later, Officer Jenny drove up. She ran toward the Center, saw the two grunts on the ground, and the condition of the Center. "What in the world happened? I was only gone for a couple of hours! Wait, these two are-,"

Ayden walked up to her. "Officer Jenny, these two attacked the Pokémon Center and were after Piik earlier. They got away the first time, but they're all yours now."

Jenny looked around still a bit confused, but nodded anyway. She turned to the two men and cuffed them. "You two are under arrest. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to catch you. I don't know how you've been getting away, but I'll see to it you won't be getting out for a long time."

After Jenny finished cuffing them, she called her squad and then tended to Ayden's wounds. While Jenny helped Ayden with some bandages, Joy popped her head out of the Center and walked outside. "Is everything all right, young man?"

Ayden turned to face her. "Yeah, just a little scuffle. Nothing to worry about. How are the pokémon in the Center?"

Joy gave him another smile. "They are all doing just fine. Thanks to you, no one got hurt."

At that moment, Spearow flew out of the Center and landed on Ayden's shoulder. "Hey, Spearow, how are you doing? Sorry about earlier. We didn't mean to disturb you and the rest of your flock."

Spearow squawked and flapped its wings. To Spearow, that didn't matter anymore. To think the leader of the most powerful flock in the forest had been bested by a mere human. If this human could do that, then he wanted to see how far he could grow under him.

"Spearow, will you lend us your strength on this journey?" Spearow nodded and Ayden and Piik smiled.

Jenny finished bandaging Ayden and stood up. "Young man, thank you for all your help in catching those two. On behalf of the police department, I salute you."

Joy walked up and put her hand on Ayden's shoulder. "And thank you for saving the Pokémon Center. I'd offer you a room, but we're going to need some time to repair it."

Jenny snapped her fingers. "If you need a place to stay for the night, I'll be more than happy to reserve a room for you at the Viri Dee Inn."

Ayden stood up. "That would be great. Thank you."

Suddenly, they all heard a voice come from down the street. "There you are! Hold it right there!"

They all turned and saw two girls run toward them. One of them carried the charred remains of a bicycle. Ayden recognized them as the two girls from earlier.

They caught up to them and Mendy dropped her bike at Ayden's feet. "Look at what you did to my bike! Not only did you take it without asking, but then you go and destroy it! Do you have any idea how much this bike cost? You'll pay for what you did!"

Jenny placed her hand on her shoulder. "Miss, what seems to be the problem?"

Mendy turned to her then pointed her finger at Ayden. "Officer Jenny, arrest this boy! He stole my bike and then destroyed it! Just look! This is all that's left of it!"

Jenny looked at the blackened metal clump next to Ayden. "Young man, is this true?"

Ayden turned to Jenny. "Officer Jenny, can that offer to the Viri Dee Inn be extended to these two as well? They helped me in getting Piik to Viridian City. They've come all the way out here and I'm sure they don't have a place for the night."

Nami stepped forward. "Helped you? You stole her bike and took off before we could say anything!"

Jenny turned back to the girls. "Well, I'm not sure I get exactly what's going on, but it seems to me that because of you two, this young man was able to get his Pikachu the treatment it needed. I'd be more than happy to get you two a room as well."

Both girls looked at Piik and saw just how much livelier she was. Nami clenched her fists in frustration. "Even so, what about my friend's bike? He destroyed it! He said we could pick it up at the Pokémon Center, but we found it burnt to a crisp in the middle of the forest!"

Ayden turned to face her. "My first pokémon almost died. If I hadn't taken your bike, I wouldn't have gotten her to the Center in time. Is the price of that bike really worth the life of a pokémon?"

Nami backed off at that. She wanted to hit him for all he did, but at the same time he had a point. However, that bike meant more to Mendy than money could even measure.

Jenny clapped her hands and they all turned to her. "Okay, kids, that's enough. Look, we've all had a long day. Let's get you all checked in at the hotel, okay?"

Mendy turned to Ayden. "I'm glad your Pikachu is okay, but this isn't over. You will pay me back for my bike!"

The rest of Jenny's squad pulled up soon afterwards. Ayden, Nami, and Mendy rode in one car while the two men rode in another.

The ride to the Inn soon turned long and awkward. Ayden kept looking out the window and fiddled with his locket while Piik slept on his lap. Mendy and Nami sat as far away from him as they could.

Nami leaned in to Mendy's ear and whispered. "Mendy, I'm sorry about your bike."

Mendy turned toward her. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he pays for it. He's not going to get away with this."

* * *

As they arrived at the Inn, a row of maids and butlers eagerly awaited them. Dressed in matching black and white uniforms, they all bowed as the three exited the vehicle. A red carpet stretched from the road to the entrance of the multi-story building. The windows shined like diamonds and the structure reminded them of a palace. Mendy and Nami looked up at its luxuriousness in awe. Ayden stepped out with Piik still asleep in his arms.

Moments later, the owner of the Inn came out of the complex; a beautiful woman with long black hair and brown eyes. She wore a strap-less purple dress with matching high heels.

The moment she saw Jenny, she smiled and took her hands. "Jenny! Long time no see! Have you come to finally put up those busy feet of yours? You know that favor still stands."

Jenny awkwardly smiled back. "I wish I could, Susan. I'm actually here to get these kids checked in. You see, this young man helped rescue the Pokémon Center and capture two criminals I've been hunting for a while."

Nami clicked her tongue and spoke under her breath. "Yeah, and destroyed a bike he stole."

Susan beamed with delight. "Really? That's amazing! You must be one incredible trainer in order to pull something like that off!"

Ayden looked the other way. "It wasn't really all that."

Susan zipped in front of him and took his hand. Her eyes glistened as she looked at him. "Nonsense! You helped in a time of crisis! Not only that, but you also helped my good friend, Jenny! Anyone who's a friend of Jenny's, is a friend of mine! Please, enjoy your night stay here free of charge!"

Nami and Mendy lit up. They couldn't think of anything better than to stay in the Inn for free.

Jenny smiled. "That's really generous of you, Susan."

Susan then zoomed back in front of Jenny and took her hands. "It's no trouble at all! But, Jenny, do make sure you stop by more often! I have everything ready to return that favor I owe you!"

An uncomfortable feeling soon overtook Jenny's face. "Well, if I get some time off, I'll think about it."

Susan beamed and embraced Jenny in a tight hug. "Please do!"

Nami and Mendy gazed upon the scene before them. Nami put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Susan seems a little… hyper; yeah 'hyper' is definitely a good word right now."

Jenny got back in her car and rolled down the window. "Now you kids behave yourselves. Be respectful and courteous to Susan, okay?"

They all nodded and Jenny drove off. Susan turned around and faced the trio. "Now then, allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Susan Dee. I'm the great-granddaughter of the owner of this hotel chain. Shall we get you kids into your rooms?"

Mendy interjected. "You mean 'room'. We're all staying in the same room, please."

She shot a look at Ayden. He stood carrying Piik and fiddling with his locket while looking up at the night sky. She couldn't afford to lose sight of him; not until he paid her back.

Susan clapped her hands. "One room it is! If you'll all please follow me!"

They entered the Inn and were intoxicated by its lavish structure. Susan walked them toward the spacious elevator and they rode up to the tenth floor. She led them down the hallway and opened up the door to their room. Mendy and Nami's jaws dropped when they gazed upon the room that could house a family of ten. Three queen-sized beds lined up against the wall, each ornamented with four pillows and a complimentary chocolate. The carpet felt fluffy and springy underneath their feet and the window gave them a breathtaking view of the city.

Susan handed them each a card key and then walked to the door. "If there is anything you need, just give us a call and we'll be able to assist you. Please enjoy your stay at the Viri Dee Inn."

As soon as she left, Mendy and Nami glared at Ayden as he set his backpack next to the far end bed. He sat down and gently caressed Piik while she slept.

Mendy walked around his bed and stood in front of him. "Well? How do you plan on paying me back for my bike?"

Ayden stood up and looked at her. He barely exceeded her height. She waited for him to respond, but he remained silent. He gently placed Piik on the bed and then walked toward the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it.

Mendy clicked her tongue. "Stuck-up jerk."

Nami placed her hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get him to pay up one way or another. He's not going anywhere."

Ayden stared at his reflection and wondered what the two men from Team Chaos were talking about. He remembered them saying something about him making his eyes glow, but he had no idea what they meant. He shook his head. He didn't have time to think about that right now. He needed to focus on his promise.

He started the shower and undressed. When he took off his shirt, his back showed a large intricate pattern of circles and triangles intermingled within a larger circle.

The pattern displayed into his skin like a branding and covered his entire back, as well as scratch and slash scars. His attempts at removing the pattern proved pointless. He had no idea where it came from or why it appeared on him.

He stepped into the shower and winced as the water slid down his back. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth to ease the pain. He had that pattern for eight years and it still burned him.

* * *

The sun shined through the diamond-like windows illuminating the room in a kaleidoscope of warm colors. Mendy and Nami slept soundly in their beds until the morning light finally woke them up. They stretched and yawned and greeted each other with a smile before rolling out of their beds. They couldn't remember the last time they slept so well.

Suddenly, Mendy stopped. She turned toward the bed at the far end and found it empty. She ran over and flipped up the covers, but found no one there.

Her rage overtook her as she pounded the bed and screamed. They got dressed and ran down the stairs toward the receptionist, a thin woman with short hair and glasses.

Mendy nearly jumped onto the counter. "Miss, please tell us if a boy came down and returned the key to room 1012?"

She adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Yes, he left here about four hours ago."

Mendy and Nami's eyes widened as they looked up at a clock on the wall. It read 09:14.

With Piik riding on his shoulder, Ayden walked through the Viridian Forest heading for Pewter City, the home of the first Indigo League badge.


	3. The Target

**CHAPTER 3**

In a remote part of Kanto, surrounded by mountains and rocky terrain near the Seafoam Islands, stood the Team Chaos headquarters; a multi-storied, black steel-enforced building. Inside, several dozen members, clad in the traditional black attire with a silver 'C' on their shirts, crowded the hallways. Amidst the bustle of the members, one grunt saw the door at the end of the hallway open and gasped when he saw who stepped out. He quickly notified all other members of her presence, and everyone immediately made a path for her as she walked toward her office.

She stood a medium height, slim, well-endowed young woman with long hot pink hair that extended down to her thighs. She wore knee-high boots and elbow gloves; a low-cut sleeveless shirt that showed off her midriff, and a mini-skirt that hugged her flaring hips to full effect. Like all members, she wore all black with a silver 'C' on her shirt, but to the side displayed a double silver bar. Her rank stood as Captain and she oversaw every inch of the facility, from missions to scientific experiments.

As she made her way down the hall, all members stood at attention. She barely paid them any mind as she flipped back her hair. "Carry on."

Her voice echoed through the hallway with a soft seductive tone, a tone far too mature for fourteen years of age. She passed a door as it flew open. A man in his early to mid-thirties dressed in a large white lab coat came out.

He adjusted his glasses as he scanned the hallways and smiled when he spotted the Captain. "Captain Rose! Please, you must come see this! I've made a breakthrough!"

Rose turned around and eyed the doctor, she grinned and proceeded toward him. "You have, have you? Well then, by all means show me."

He guided her into his lab; a small cornucopia of beakers, flasks, folders, notes, and leftover food; and showed her his latest work. A Rattata, a small purple rat pokémon, lay strapped to a table with a few wires attached to it linking it to a rectangular machine. He went to his desk, picked up a tube and went back to her.

He spoke with a combination of nerves and excitement. "Here it is, Captain Rose, my latest experiment. I have here the DNA of the fire-type pokémon, Growlithe. With my research and discoveries, I have found that if I simply modified this DNA, it would be compatible with that of a normal-type pokémon; giving said normal-type new abilities! Please watch!"

He went around the table again and poured the contents of the tube into the machine. Afterward, he pulled a switch and both of them watched as the contents flowed toward the frightened pokémon. Soon, Rattata's body twitched, its eyes bulged, and its squeaks filled the entire lab. The pain circulated throughout its entire body, making it jerk every which way. After a few moments of uncontrollable movements, the pokémon finally lay limp on the table. Its eyes empty, and its body cold.

The scientist looked at the lifeless pokémon with unbelieving eyes. He took the pokémon in his hands and shook it. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! What do you think you're doing? You can't die now! I need to finish this experiment! Why couldn't you accept the DNA, you worthless rodent?"

He heard Rose turn around and walk toward the door. "W-wait! Captain Rose! Please, this was just a minor setback! I can get it right, I know it! Please, give me another-,"

She clicked her heel onto the floor, forcing him to stop. "Another… chance? Is that what you were going to say? Tell me something, Doctor, how many times have you called me to your lab?" The doctor quivered as she waited for the answer. "Well?"

He finally found enough voice to answer her. "Th-three times, C-Captain Rose."

Rose didn't turn around, but instead crossed her arms. "That's correct. Now, how many times have you're so called 'breakthroughs' failed?"

His shaking intensified. "Three times."

She gave a nod. "Very good. Now, use your brain for this one, Doctor. If your experiments have failed and have not produced any of the results I asked for, how many times have you wasted my time?"

He fell to his knees and answered her in a small scared child-like voice. "Th-th-three?"

She shook her head. "Hm, I'm sorry, Doctor, but that's incorrect." He gave her a confused look. "The correct answer is four times. Three for your failures and one for stopping me from leaving this disgusting excuse for a lab."

The doctor threw Rattata away and wrapped his arm around her leg. "P-please, Captain Rose! I'm sorry! I just need a bit more time to figure it out! Please give me one more chance! I'll get it right this time, I swear!"

Rose turned to him. He looked up hoping to be forgiven, but his hopes quickly faded when he saw her face. "Who gave you permission… to touch me?"

The doctor realized his mistake and let go of her leg. He bowed and apologized relentlessly, but she didn't give him time to speak.

She stepped on his hand with her heel, pinning him to the floor. He screamed as the heel pierced through his flesh, leaking blood onto the floor. "You've disrespected me for the last time, Doctor. Let me tell you a little secret. There are three things I hate the most in this world; number one: people who make me repeat myself, number two: weak men, and number three: weak men who touch me. You fall in all three categories. The only worthless one around here is you." She stepped off his hand and pushed a button on her wrist. "This is Captain Rose, come to lab 2B-3. I have another 'volunteer' for you."

The moment she finished; the doctor realized what she meant. "C-Captain Rose! You don't mean?"

She turned back to him. "Congratulations, Doctor. I've granted you your wish. You've been given another chance to serve Team Chaos. And this time, I know you'll give us results."

The doctor steadily got up and ran for the door. The moment he entered the hallway, several Chaos Grunts awaited him. He heard the clicks of Rose's heels and froze as she approached.

"Take him to the Experiment Sector. He's no longer of any use to me."

The doctor tried to muscle through the Grunts, but they overpowered and dragged him away.

Rose turned her attention back to the hallway toward her office. When she finally made it, she closed the door and then sat down at her desk. Her office was a spacious room filled with dark-purple colors. She reached over to turn on her computer when she received a call.

She breathed an irritated sigh then answered. "This is Captain Rose."

The person on the other line had a deep calm voice. "Captain Rose, this is Chaos Senior Grunt Yadon. We've arrived at the scene for the backup, but it appears our two teammates were arrested and the target is no longer there as well. The Pokémon Center is also completely destroyed. We believe those two acted against your orders and proceeded without us."

Rose took in a deep breath. "Then, forget about them. If they couldn't follow simple orders, then they're not fit to be in the ranks of Team Chaos. As for the target, check the Viridian Forest. If anything, that's probably where he is right now."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She leaned back in her leather chair and stretched. Every day the same thing happened in an endlessly irritating circle, her subordinates giving her less than half of what she expected. None of them had the potential she yearned for. None of them gave off that spark or drive she sought. At this point, she became very bored with her duties.

A soft purr came from behind her. Out of the shadows, a Persian walked up to her and laid its paws on her lap. It was a large feline pokémon with pale tan fur and long tail that curved at the end.

Rose petted the pokémon, much to its delight, and sighed. "Persian, you're the only one that's lived up to my expectations so far. Everyone here is so dull and useless. You're the only one I can trust." Persian looked up at her and nodded its head. Rose smiled. "Honestly, is there anyone out there worthy of me?"

* * *

The morning sun gleamed down on Viridian City and the wind swept through with a gentle brisk breeze. Mendy and Nami scurried out of the Inn and looked around to see any trace of the bike-destroying kid. They asked people if they had seen anyone fitting the description, but no one gave them any worthwhile information.

After meeting several dead ends, Mendy stomped her foot in frustration. "That little… how could he leave like that? With his injuries, you'd think he'd be bedridden for days."

Nami crossed her arms. "This is what he was waiting for. We let our guard down and he took complete advantage of it. He's a slippery one that's for sure."

Mendy turned to look at her. "So, what are we supposed to do now? We're not just going to let him get away, are we?"

Nami reached into her backpack. "No way. Don't worry. I've got a plan. He may have a four-hour lead on us, but if he thinks he can get away that easily, he's sadly mistaken."

She pulled out a pokéball and threw it. "Marill, I need your help!"

Soon a blue round mouse popped out. Its long zigzag tail held a large blue ball on the end and it bounced around effortlessly. Mendy smiled as she quickly caught on to Nami's plan.

Nami nodded then turned to her pokémon. "Marill, I need a favor. I need you to listen for a boy traveling with his Pikachu. We need to find them as quickly as possible."

Marill nodded and then closed its eyes to concentrate. Its large ears quivered as it listened in on its target. After a moment, it opened its eyes and pointed in the direction of the Viridian Forest.

Nami grinned. "I see, so he's headed for Pewter City, huh? Should've figured as much. Thanks, Marill, return!"

The blue mouse disappeared into its pokéball in a flash of red light. Nami placed the ball back in her bag then turned to Mendy. "All right, let's go!"

* * *

Ayden and Piik continued their walk through the dense Viridian Forest. Ayden placed his hands in his pockets as he looked around at all the different kinds of pokémon and how happy they looked.

His mind shifted toward his destination, Pewter City, home of the first gym trainer. He had done extensive research on each of the gym leaders of the Kanto region. With his current arsenal, he knew he would have a difficult time against the Pewter City Gym Leader's rock and ground-types. Even Piik's powers wouldn't do much good if the electricity didn't touch the opponent. He needed to have a secure backup of either grass or water.

He turned to Piik. "So, shall we try to find another partner for our team?" Piik perked up at the idea and ran up his leg and onto his shoulder. Ayden lightly smiled. "All right! Let's go then."

Before they continued, they heard a voice from the trees. "Hey, kid! You a trainer?" Ayden looked around to see where the voice came from. "You know what happens when two trainers meet up, right?" At that a young man of early teens jumped from the trees and landed in front of Ayden and Piik. He had short brown hair underneath a straw-hat and carried a net on his back. He stood up and pulled a pokéball out from his belt. "They battle!"

Ayden stared at him for a moment and then lightly smiled. "You honestly want to take me on?"

The boy pumped his fist. "Of course! My name is Ethan, and I've been training in this forest for the past three months. I'll challenge anyone and everyone to prove my pokémon are the best! So, come on and fight me!"

Ayden turned his attention to Piik. "What do you say? He sounds pretty experienced. Could be a good challenge." Piik nodded and Ayden nodded back. "Fine. What are the rules for this battle?"

Ethan jumped back to put some distance between him and Ayden. "We'll each use two pokémon for this battle. When both of either trainer's pokémon are unable to continue, that trainer loses. No time limit. Agreed?" Ayden nodded and Ethan grinned as he threw his pokéball. "All right! Come on out, Beedrill!"

A large bipedal wasp-like pokémon with two large conical stingers for forearms emerged from the pokéball. It buzzed around with incredible speed waiting for the battle to start.

Ayden flipped back his jacket to retrieve Spearow's pokéball. "Let's go, Spearow!"

Spearow appeared, gazed at his opposition, and gave a smug grin. As the leader of his flock, he had an obligation to back up his title. He couldn't allow some overgrown bee defeat him.

Both teams stared each other down as a cloud covered the sun. The moment the sun emerged; Ethan made his move. "Beedrill, use Fury Attack!"

Beedrill zoomed at Spearow with impressive speed. Spearow blinked and Beedrill appeared in front of him, attacking with its forearms trying to strike the dodging bird.

Ayden gazed up at the situation for a moment and then took a breath. "Spearow, use Leer!"

Spearow backed up just enough to give himself some space, then glared down at Beedrill. Beedrill paused in its assault, taken aback by Spearow's dreadful look.

Ethan clenched his teeth, unable to believe Beedrill's assault broke so easily. "Don't let it intimidate you! Use Twineedle!"

Beedrill shook off Leer and geared up for another attack.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Aerial Ace!"

Before Beedrill's stinger could reach Spearow, he disappeared. Beedrill looked around desperately before Spearow appeared again and struck it from behind, knocking it out of the sky straight into the dirt. Spearow soared back to the air and looked down at his motionless opponent.

Ethan stomped his foot in frustration, recalled his pokémon and threw his next into battle. "Come on out, Heracross!" Soon a large bipedal beetle-like pokémon with a large two-pronged horn emerged. It spread its feet apart and braced itself like a sumo wrestler.

As soon as Ayden saw the pokémon, an idea came to him.

Ethan clenched his fists and pointed at Spearow. "Heracross, Horn Attack!"

Heracross opened its wings and soared after Spearow.

Ayden looked for an opening and then called out his next move. "Aerial Ace!"

Spearow disappeared again, but Ethan had thought of a counter for that. "Heracross, Endure!"

Heracross encased itself in a gold aura right before Spearow's attack connected. Heracross survived Spearow's attack and took hold of the bird pokémon.

Ethan grinned. "Heracross, use Chip Away!"

Heracross let go of Spearow, but then struck it with a series of blows to its wings, chest, and head. Spearow reeled from the attacks and fell straight to the ground.

Ayden's eyes widened as Spearow lay on the ground. "Spearow! You okay?"

Spearow slowly got up and gave Ayden a reassuring look. He popped his neck and then stared at Heracross. He grinned as his hunger for battle spiked. He had to admit this Heracross had some skill, however, he couldn't afford to be beaten. He had a goal to be the strongest flying pokémon in the world. Spearow brushed himself off then took to the sky and met Heracross.

Ethan grinned. "Looks like Spearow's just about had it. I'd say it's time we wrapped things up, Heracross. Use Aerial Ace!"

Ayden looked up at Spearow and sensed his determination. He could tell Spearow didn't want a sneaky victory. He wanted to take Heracross head-on and prove his strength. "Spearow, use Aerial Ace too!"

Both pokémon vanished and silence fell around the forest. It felt as if time had stopped before both trainers heard a boom. Both pokémon collided and plummeted to the ground. Ayden and Ethan looked at them to see which would get up first.

After a bit, Heracross moved. It staggered to its knees when its body froze and it fell back down. Soon, Spearow opened his eyes and picked himself back up. He stared at his opponent as it lay on the ground. He breathed heavily and he didn't have the energy to fly, but he won.

Ethan fell to his knees in disappointment. He recalled Heracross and pounded the ground. "Darn it! How could this happen? We've been training for three months!"

Ayden met up with Spearow and patted him on the head. "Good job, Spearow. I expected nothing less from the leader of his flock. Here, you deserve a good rest."

Spearow smiled and gladly went back into his pokéball.

Ayden placed it back on his belt and walked up to Ethan. "Hey, Ethan, that was a great battle. I was also wondering where you got your Heracross."

Ethan stood up and dusted himself off. "You can find them over in a clearing that's farther down from here. However, they're mostly there in the morning. You have to wake up pretty early to have a good chance at catching one."

Ayden nodded. "I see. Thanks, that's just what I was looking for. Come on, Piik."

Ethan watched Ayden disappear down the road. "Guess I still have some more training to do."

* * *

Mendy and Nami continued through the forest in pursuit of Ayden. Their linear path ended when they arrived at a fork in the road.

Nami grinned and picked up Marill's pokéball again. "Marill, we need your help!" Marill popped out and looked at Nami with its small black eyes. "Marill, we need you to listen for that boy and his Pikachu again. Can you do it?"

Marill nodded its head and concentrated. It perked up and pointed toward the left. Nami smiled. "Great job, Marill. You're such a dependable pokémon."

It blushed as she recalled it back into its pokéball.

Nami kissed it then placed it back in her bag. "Remind me to treat you to something special when we get to town. Come on, Mendy, let's go."

They continued deeper into the forest when they suddenly heard a voice from the trees. "Hey, you girls pokémon trainers?"

They looked around but couldn't find anyone. Both girls braced themselves and stood back-to-back.

Nami reached into her bag and grabbed another pokéball. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Soon Ethan popped out of the trees and faced the girls. He held his pokéball in his hand and had a large smile on his face. "You know what happens when two trainers m-?"

Nami punched him over the head before he finished talking. "What do you think you're doing scaring us like that, you jerk?"

Mendy put her hand on Nami's shoulder. "Nami, calm down. I don't think he meant any harm."

Ethan rubbed his head. "Yeah, I just wanted to have a battle."

Nami crossed her arms. "There are easier ways to ask someone for a battle, you know! Jeez! What the hell's your problem?"

Ethan stood up. "Jeez, I'm sorry, but you didn't have to hit me."

Nami turned to him. "Maybe if you weren't being such an idiot, I wouldn't have hit you!"

Mendy grabbed Nami from behind. "Nami, cool it, would you? I'm sorry for my friend's reaction. We're just in a hurry. We're actually looking for someone. He had silver hair and a Pikachu with him. You haven't seen anyone like that around, have you?"

Ethan put his hands to his hips and gave a cocky smirk. "Maybe I have, and maybe I haven't. If you want to know, you'll have to beat me in a battle first."

Nami jerked out of Mendy's grip and then picked Ethan up by his shirt. Her eyes glared at him with all the rage she had for Ayden. "If you don't tell us what you know, you won't be happy where I stick that net of yours."

Terror fell on Ethan's face and he gave in. "Okay, okay, h-he went down that road about an hour ago! We had a battle, and he asked me for information on where to find Heracross! I swear that's all I know! Please don't hurt me!"

Nami dropped him. "Thank you. Now was that so hard? Come on, Mendy. We're close."

Nami ran past Ethan and Mendy apologized before running after her. Ethan looked back at them with tears in his eyes.

"Girls are… scary."

* * *

Mid-afternoon raised the temperature of the forest and the humidity, allowing Ayden and Piik to take a break on a nearby rock. Ayden dug into his bag and pulled out a chocolate bar. He broke off half and gave it to Piik. He called out Spearow and gave the other half to him. He couldn't help but smile as he watched them eat the bar with gusto. He looked up at the sky and started fiddling with his locket.

When they finished eating, he recalled Spearow back into his ball. "All right, let's keep going, Piik."

Before they continued, they heard a voice call out from behind them. "Hold it right there!"

They turned around and saw the two girls from the Pokémon Center running toward them. Both girls skid to a stop and placed their hands on their knees, taking in deep breaths as they tried to talk to him.

"Y-You're… not… going… anywhere! Not… until… you've paid… me… back… for the bike."

Ayden looked at them for a moment and then continued down the road.

Nami glared at him and took out a pokéball. "We… told you… you're not… going… anywhere! Marill, come out!"

Marill popped out and stood in front of Ayden battle ready. Ayden walked past it without a second thought, leaving Marill dumbfounded and neglected.

Nami pointed at Ayden. "Marill! Stop… him with… Water Gun!"

Marill jumped up and launched a stream of water at Ayden's feet forcing him to stop. Piik jumped off Ayden's shoulders and readied herself to fight the water-type assailant.

Ayden sighed and turned around toward the girls. "You two have been chasing me for a while now. Just who are you and what do you want?"

Both girls caught their breath and stood up. Mendy cleared her throat. "I'm Mendy and this is Nami. The reason we're following you is because you need to take responsibility for what you did to my bike."

Ayden put his hands in pockets of his jacket. "I already explained why I took your bike. I needed it to get an injured pokémon to the Center."

Nami took a step forward. "That's all fine and dandy, but you promised to bring the bike to the Center, and we found it in the woods burnt to a crisp."

Ayden took a deep breath. This wasn't good. If they continued arguing with him, they'd more than likely would continue following him. He couldn't allow them to, not with Team Chaos on the loose. If they showed up at the Pokémon Center, there were bound to be more coming for him. If these girls followed him, they'd be in danger and unnecessarily caught up in all this.

Then, an idea came to him. "So, what do you want me to do? Wave my hands over it and bring it back?" Both girls clenched their fists at the comment. "A bike like that is most likely really expensive. I don't have the money to buy you a new one. I apologize for what happened, but there was nothing I could do about it. So, you have no reason to keep following me. Come on, Piik."

Mendy stomped her foot. "And where are you going?"

Ayden continued to walk without turning to face her. "That's none of your business."

Both girls looked at each other, nodded, and followed him. The woods stretched endlessly, with the trees providing adequate shade from the afternoon sun. Hour after hour, Ayden and Piik walked with Mendy and Nami closely following behind. The sound of their footsteps being so close behind irritated Piik to the point she couldn't take it anymore.

She charged up her cheeks before Ayden stopped her. "Don't worry about them, Piik. Just keep walking."

* * *

As the day turned to night, the trio settled down and set up camp. The fire flickered and crackled as the girls laid out their sleeping bags.

Nami hopped in hers and turned to her side. "Good night, Mendy."

Mendy sat up, turned to Nami and grinned. "Good night."

She turned her attention to Ayden who sat up in a tree branch with Piik asleep on his lap. He seemed to be lost in thought as he stared at the moon and fiddled with the gold locket around his neck. His carefree attitude got the better of her. She could never forgive him for what he did to her bike.

She stood up and faced him. "Hey! Don't think of doing anything funny like running off during the night again! I'm going to keep following you until you pay me back for my bike, you got that?" Ayden paid no mind to her and kept watching the moon. Mendy's anger reached its boiling point. She picked up a rock and threw it at his head. "Stuck-up jerk!"

Ayden fiddled with his locket and caught the rock with his free hand all the while never taking his gaze off the moon.

At that moment, Piik perked up and took a fighting stance against Mendy.

She charged up her cheeks until Ayden placed his hand on her head and stroked it much to her delight. "Don't worry, Piik. She's not worth wasting energy on."

Mendy turned red from embarrassment and anger. She jumped into her sleeping bag and turned on her side. From this angle she had a perfect view of him. She had to make sure he fell asleep first. That way she could be certain he didn't skip out on paying her back.

The hours crawled by as she continued her hawk-like gaze at him. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, but she refused to fall asleep before him. He fiddled with the locket and stroked his Pikachu's head without taking his eyes off the moon. At a certain point, she wondered what he could possibly be thinking about.

A few hours later, Ayden yawned then looked down and saw Mendy had fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes, hoping to break the fatigue, but to no avail. A sense of dread came over him as his eyes grew heavier. He didn't want to fall asleep and see the same dream again. He turned his gaze back at the moon for a brief moment before finally closing his eyes.

* * *

The car flipped over the guard rail and toppled several times before hitting the surface of the ocean. The moment the car hit the water; Ayden opened his eyes. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at the rising sun. Even with staying up as late as he did, he still couldn't escape that dream. He looked down at Nami and Mendy as they slept soundly with their sleeping bags close to one another. He quietly gathered Piik in his arms and jumped from the branch.

The morning air felt relaxing as the wind softly swept through the trees. He walked until he came to a clearing. Just like Ethan said, Heracross had gathered around the trees drinking the nectar.

Piik woke up, yawned, stretched, and scurried onto Ayden's shoulders as he approached the Heracross cautiously. "Okay, Piik. You ready?" Piik nodded. With that, Ayden made his way into the clearing toward the Heracross. Piik jumped off his shoulders and readied herself for battle. "Piik, use Thundershock on the tree!"

Piik charged her cheeks and shot a bolt of electricity. It hit the tree, knocking a Heracross off it. The other Heracross flew away while the one remaining squirmed on the ground. It flailed its arms back and forth until it rolled on its side. Heracross gave Piik a sad look, stood up and backed away. Its stomach grumbled as it looked back on the tree.

Ayden scratched his head and walked up to it. This wasn't what he'd hoped for. "Hey, sorry about that, Heracross. Didn't mean to disturb your breakfast. I was hoping I could try and catch you because I think you'd make a great addition to my team."

Heracross ducked itself into a bush shivering, and Ayden heaved a sigh of regret. "Anyway, you get back to your meal. We'll be going."

As Ayden turned to leave, a smoke bomb exploded in front of him, quickly enveloping the area. Ayden gathered up Piik and Heracross and jumped into the bushes. He couldn't believe it. They followed him all the way out here as well. He looked around frantically for them hoping to get the first attack, but couldn't find them anywhere.

He turned to Heracross. "Heracross, go get your family and get them out of here. It's not safe anymore. Please you have to hurry!" Heracross looked a little scared at the request, but Ayden placed his hand on its head and calmed it down. "Don't worry, you can do this. I know this may seem scary to you, but it'll be fine. Just make sure you get them as far away from here as possible."

Heracross nodded its head and flew back into the trees. When it left, Ayden stood up, went into the clearing, and called out to their attackers. "Okay, come on out! Quit hiding and fight me!"

No one answered as the smoke cleared. Ayden continued looking around, but couldn't find them anywhere. Suddenly, Ayden felt the grip of a steel collar around his neck. The collar slowly tightened causing him to drop to his knees. He struggled to get the collar off, but it wouldn't budge.

Piik looked back and screamed, terror-stricken at the sight of his predicament. She tried to find the people who did this, but still couldn't see them. Her heart pounded; she didn't have any time to waste. She had to do something before he suffocated. She fired off one electric attack after another hoping to hit something, but nothing reacted. She looked back at Ayden who motioned her to stop wasting her energy. Piik looked at him through tear-filled eyes. She didn't know what to do.

Ayden lost what little breath he had left and fell over. When his head leaned forward, Heracross appeared from behind. It raised its claws into the air and struck the collar breaking it to pieces.

Ayden gripped his neck as he coughed and recovered. When he calmed down, he turned to Heracross. "Heracross, you… came back? Thank you. What about your family?"

Heracross twiddled his claws and gave Ayden a shy look. He wanted to show his appreciation to Ayden for getting him out of harm's way. He had always been an unaggressive and timid pokémon. The amount of strength Ayden displayed amazed him. Ayden seemed like a really brave person and he hoped maybe he could become brave like him too.

Ayden lightly smiled and patted Heracross on the head. "If you want to come along with us, you're more than welcome to."

Heracross beamed at the idea and jumped up and down. In the trees, the Team Chaos grunts sat watching the entire thing.

One of them clicked a button on his wrist. "Captain Rose, yeah we found the Carrier. Confronting him now."

Rose's voice came through. "Good. Do whatever is necessary to bring him here alive."

"Roger that, Captain."

As soon as they finished, both members jumped out. Ayden turned and saw two men in black approach him. Unlike the two from Viridian, these didn't have masks. The taller man had medium-length brown hair while the shorter one had a clean shaven head.

Ayden felt they had more experience than the last guys he fought. "Who are you and what do you w-,"

He stopped yelling as a sharp pain struck him in the neck. Piik and Heracross looked at him in concern as he put his hand to his throat and took in small breaths.

The taller Chaos Grunt spoke up. "Looks like our collar was a little too effective. Don't worry, it wasn't meant to kill you. We only needed it to knock you out."

Ayden looked up and spoke softly. "What… is it you want from me? Who are you and what is Team Chaos? What exactly do you plan to accomplish?"

Both men laughed. "How about this, kid? Come with us quietly, and we'll tell you all you want to know."

Piik stepped in between them and growled at the grunts. She couldn't let them get away with what they did to Ayden. She charged her cheeks and fired off one attack after another, but the two men dodged them effortlessly.

Ayden motioned Piik to stop. "Piik, don't waste your energy. Let's wait and see what they do first."

The two men took out their pokéballs and threw them. The tall one called out Houndour while the bald one called out Poochyena.

Ayden looked at the pokémon and could tell both were at rather high levels. He couldn't deny they posed more of a threat than the last set he fought. "Piik, Heracross, I'll need both of you to fight these guys. Will you help me?"

Both pokémon nodded and turned to their opponents. The taller Grunt turned to his partner. "Hey, Breyar, that's the special Pikachu we were told about. And it looks like it found a new partner to fight with."

Breyar cracked his fingers and smiled. "That's just fine, Yadon. It doesn't matter how many pokémon this kid's got. He's still a rookie. Our experience alone will be more than enough to break him."

Yadon smiled. "Just don't overdo it like you always do. Remember he has to be alive otherwise the Captain will have both our heads."

Breyar popped his neck. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I remember. I'll be gentle with him. I'll just break a few bones and maybe even leave a knee in place."

Yadon sighed. "Sometimes there's just no reasoning with you. Let's just do this and get it over with. Houndour, Flamethrower!"

Houndour jumped into the air and shot a stream of flames toward Ayden's group. They each jumped out of the way barely missing the flames.

"Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Just as Piik landed, she launched a bolt of electricity at Team Chaos.

Breyar smiled. "Poochyena, Sand Attack!" Poochyena clawed at the ground kicking up as much dirt as it could muster. The dirt acted as a shield nullifying the electric attack. Breyar smile grew wider "Poochyena, follow it up with Howl!"

Poochyena let out a bloodcurdling cry that reverberated throughout the forest. A red aura shrouded its body, pumping it with more power.

Breyar laughed and pounded his fist into his palm. "That's it! That's it! More! More! More! Let your power increase and dominate! Poochyena, Tackle!"

Poochyena's claws grew and dug into the ground. It zoomed across the clearing toward Piik and Heracross.

Ayden thought for a moment and then an idea came to him. "Heracross, dodge it! Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Heracross took to the sky while Piik launched another attack, but Poochyena simply side-stepped it and continued charging toward Piik, lunging at her.

Breyar laughed harder. "You really think the same attack that failed before would work now? You really are a rookie, kid!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "Who ever said it was the same strategy?"

Breyar looked at him with confusion. "Heracross, Brick Break!" Heracross descended from the sky and struck Poochyena's head. Poochyena yelped as the force blew it backward. "Piik, Thunderbolt!" Piik launched her attack and zapped Poochyena as it flew through the air. It landed in front of Breyar and twitched and fidgeted before staggering to get back up.

Breyar shot Ayden a hateful look and balled his hands. "You… little… brat! I'll make you pay for that! No one injures Poochyena and gets away with it, no one!"

Yadon stepped in front of Breyar. "Breyar, calm down! Don't let this upstart rile you up! Remember, we have both the advantage and the experience! If you keep a cool head, I'm sure you'll crush him in no time!"

Breyar took a deep breath and then smiled. "Yeah, you're right, Yadon. Sorry about that. Guess it's been awhile since anyone's dealt Poochyena damage. Took me by surprise is all."

Yadon stepped out of the way and looked at Ayden's team. "Good, now that your head's back on straight, let's continue this battle, shall we? Houndour, Smog!"

Houndour opened its mouth and black smoke emerged spreading throughout the clearing.

Ayden reached for his belt and pulled out a pokéball. "Spearow, blow the smoke away!"

Spearow took to the sky and flapped its wings, creating a whirlwind that dispersed the smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Poochyena appeared and slammed Heracross against a tree. It took advantage of the situation and sank its fangs into his shoulder. Heracross cried as its fangs sank deeper into him. Houndour came up from behind and tackled Piik. Before she could even recover, Houndour stepped on her head and gradually applied more pressure to it.

Ayden looked at the two and then turned to see Breyar standing in front of him. Breyar took Ayden by the neck and then kneed him in the gut. The air quickly left Ayden's body as he fell face first to the ground.

Breyar laughed. "That's what you get, you little punk! No one damages Poochyena and gets away with it!"

As Breyar looked down at Ayden, Spearow dove toward Breyar's head, but he caught the pokémon with his hand.

He looked at Spearow for a moment and then squeezed him. Spearow squawked in pain as Breyar tightened his grip. "Did you really think you stood a chance against Team Chaos with such a weak arsenal, kid?" He looked down and noticed Ayden didn't respond. "You dead, kid? You need to listen when adults are talking to you. You got that?"

Breyar reached for Ayden's head when Ayden suddenly grabbed his wrist. Breyar tried to free his hand, but Ayden's grip immobilized him. Ayden squeezed his wrist until it snapped. Breyar reeled back in pain and released Spearow from his grip.

Yadon looked over to see what happened. His eyes widened as he turned his attention to Ayden. Ayden stood up and opened his eyes. His eyes changed colors to an icy blue in his left and a fiery gold in his right. He stood still and breathed calmly as though in a meditative state.

Breyar reeled from his wrist snapping then stood up and charged at Ayden. "You damn brat!"

He swung at Ayden with his good arm only to find Ayden had effortlessly dodged his assault. Before Breyar could reposition himself, Ayden grabbed his arm, tossed him over his shoulder, and slammed him to the ground.

Yadon looked on in disbelief as his partner lay on the ground. Ayden turned to his pokémon as they struggled against their opponents. He spoke in a soft, echoing, and rapid voice in a language neither grunt understood. However, Piik and Heracross, both heard him. Their eyes glowed the same has Ayden's and they followed through with his instructions.

The movements were instantaneous as both grunts soon found their pokémon unconscious at their feet. They looked up at Ayden as he and his pokémon stood waiting for another round. Both men looked at their pokémon and then recalled them.

Yadon clicked his tongue. "Looks like we'll have to retreat for now."

Breyar clutched his arm. "Yeah, I hate to admit it, but you're right."

Yadon stared at Ayden, fixated on his eyes, and smiled. "Gaze upon it, Breyar. We may have lost today, but that's to be expected when you're dealing with that kind of power. We'll return and claim it for Team Chaos. Let's go."

Yadon threw a smoke bomb at the ground and they disappeared.

When they left, Ayden's pokémon looked at him with concern. They didn't know what to make of it. He had a mesmerizing aura about him they found irresistible.

Piik gazed at him and recalled the first time she met Ayden. Now she could see why she could trust him like she did. This feeling she got from him comforted her. She couldn't explain why, but seeing Ayden in this state made her feel even more powerful than she ever felt before.

Ayden's eyes soon returned to their normal hazelnut colors and the aura disappeared. When they did, he fell forward.

Piik, Spearow, and Heracross ran to him and shook him awake.

Ayden slowly looked around and then at them in confusion. "Hey, what happened? Where did Team Chaos go? I remember getting hit in the stomach then nothing." They shook their heads. Ayden looked at the ground and balled his hands. "Why? Why are they after me? Just what the hell do they want? I don't understand it at all!"

Piik hugged his head telling him everything will be okay. She had to work harder and get stronger as quickly as possible to keep him safe and to make sure they didn't get what they were after. Spearow landed on Ayden's head and squawked. It spread its wings with pride, letting the world know that as the world's most powerful flying-type, he would protect his trainer from all threats. Heracross waved his arms around. He didn't know exactly what happened, but he too wanted to help keep Ayden safe. He wanted to get stronger and have the same courage Ayden had.

Ayden looked at the pokémon and lightly smiled. "Thanks, guys. As long as you are all with me, I'm sure everything will be fine." He took out a pokéball and tapped Heracross on the head. "Heracross, welcome to the team."

Heracross disappeared in a red light into the pokéball. The ball wiggled around in Ayden's hand for a moment before sitting still with a click. Ayden recalled Spearow and then sat up.

He stared at the ground thinking. His mind a whirlwind of questions. Piik walked up to him and he gathered her up in his arms. "Come here, Piik. Let's stay like this for a bit, okay?"

Piik smiled and relaxed in Ayden's arms.

* * *

Mendy awoke to the warm sunlight as she lay on her side in her sleeping bag. She sat up, stretched, and then looked at Nami still fast asleep. She then remembered her reason for being there. She looked up at the nearby tree branch and saw no one there. She jumped out of her sleeping bag and looked around. She cursed under her breath and took off down the road. It didn't take long before she saw Ayden sitting in the clearing.

She ran up to him and placed her hands on her knees. "So, where did you run off to, huh? Did you think you could skip out on paying me back for my bike again?"

Ayden sat in silence as if he never heard her. He stood up and walked out of the clearing.

He had just walked past her when her temper flared. "When someone's asking you a question, you're supposed to answer them!"

She reached for his arm, but a bolt of electricity forced her back. Piik jumped out of Ayden's arms and took a fighting stance against Mendy, her fur stood up and a growl resonated in her throat.

Mendy stared back at Piik, frozen by her fierce green eyes. She felt Piik would shoot an attack through her heart if she moved or even breathed the wrong way.

Ayden stopped and turned to Piik. "Piik, I told you, she's not worth wasting energy on. The less she knows the better. Let's go."

Piik slowly backed up all the while keeping her eyes on Mendy, then turned and ran up to Ayden.

Mendy's temper reached feverish levels. She watched them both walk out of the clearing when she noticed marks on Ayden's neck. Her eyes widened. She knew he didn't have those yesterday. She then remembered she needed to keep following him. She ran back to the campsite to get Nami and her belongings.

* * *

Yadon and Breyar rested in the middle of the Viridian Forest. Yadon had just finished bandaging Breyar. "There, that should hold it for now."

Breyar tried to move it, but was met with a sharp pain every time. "Damn that brat! I'll get him back for this!"

Yadon grinned. "Don't get so worked up. I hardly doubt he had any idea of what he did. Anyway, let's report to the Captain."

He pushed a button on his wrist and waited for her to pick up. "Captain Rose, Chaos Senior Grunt Yadon reporting. We just had our run-in with the Carrier. He was far stronger than we had anticipated. Sending you a visual of him right now." He tapped another button and a faint click was heard. "Did you receive it, Ma'am?"

Rose's voice came through. "Yes, I have it."

Yadon smiled. "Excellent. Breyar and I are going to rest for a bit. Then we'll do whatever it takes to bring the Carrier back to the base."

"No, that won't be necessary. I want you both to come back to base immediately."

Yadon tried to wrap his brain around this. "Ma'am, we're so close. He's right there. We can take him on again if we just-,"

"Those are the orders from your superior officer. Do not make me say it again."

Yadon lowered his head in defeat. "Understood, Captain."

* * *

Rose hung up her phone and leaned back in her chair. For the first time, her face beamed with delight. She couldn't stop smiling even if she wanted to.

She looked over at Persian and gave her the most affectionate pat on the head the pokémon had ever received. "Persian, I found him! The one I've been searching for! The one with the potential that's worthy of me!"

She gazed at her computer screen and stared dreamily at the picture of Ayden.

* * *

 **And that's the first three chapters of my story. I hope you've enjoyed it up to this point. If you like what you've read so far, please feel free to send a message with your thoughts on the chapters. I'd love to hear what you think. Thank you for reading up to this point and I hope you'll continue to follow as the story progresses.**


	4. Mystery in Pewter City

**CHAPTER 4**

The sun had just barely risen over the mountains and the clear skies and calm wind made for a tranquil morning. At the Team Chaos headquarters, Yadon stood with his arms crossed as he waited in the clinic for Breyar to finish getting his arm examined. Breyar sat on a stool with the doctor sitting opposite him. The doctor, an elderly man with gray hair and glasses, kept looking at Breyar's wrist and slowly readjusting it. Every touch sent a wave of pain through Breyar. They'd been at the clinic for nearly two hours before the doctor finished the examination.

After setting Breyar's arm gently back down, the doctor nodded, coughed, and cleared his throat. "It looks like… it is broken."

Breyar and Yadon gave him a dumbfounded look as the doctor took off his glasses and cleaned them.

Yadon walked up to the doctor. "We already know his wrist is broken! Why do you think we came to you in the first place?"

The doctor shook his head and put his glasses back on. "No, you misunderstand. It's not just his wrist. His entire arm is broken in three extra locations." Yadon and Breyar's eyes widened at the news. They couldn't believe what they just heard. That one little twist broke Breyar's entire arm? "I don't know what you did, but your arm is completely out of commission. It'll take a month to heal at least."

Breyar slammed his fist against the table. "You can't be serious! I don't have that kind of time! I have to get back at that kid and make him pay for what he's done!"

A smooth voice came from the doorway as it slid open. "My, my, what's with all this noise so early in the morning?" They turned and saw Rose walk into the room. When they did, they stood up at attention. She smiled and waved them down. "Take your seats. I came to see how my subordinates were doing. From the look of your arm and what the doctor said, you're not going on any missions any time soon."

Breyar stood back up. "Captain Rose, please you have to let me back on the mission! I have to make that kid pay for what he did! Just give me a day to recover and I'll be back-,"

She held up her hand to stop him from speaking. "As of now, you two are officially off this assignment. Not only did you fail to bring back the Carrier, you brought back a souvenir, a souvenir that shows me you're not capable of dealing with that kind of power. Also, Team Chaos can't afford to send such high-strung soldiers to handle such a delicate mission. Your methods are too extreme and we can't risk the Carrier dying. So, recover in your barracks and await further orders."

She turned to leave when Breyar called out to her. He fell to his knees and bowed his head. "Captain! Please, I need to get back at that kid! Give me another chance! I swear I will not fail this time!"

Rose turned to him and gestured to see his hand. He stood up and reluctantly let her hold it. She held it in her hands and gently caressed it. Her milky smooth hands felt like heaven to him. She looked him in the eyes and then twisted his arm. Pain surged throughout his body and he fell to the floor with his screams echoing down the hallway.

She crossed her arms as she watched him writhe on the floor. "Senior Chaos Grunt Breyar, let me tell you a little secret. There are three things I hate the most in this world; number one: people who make me repeat myself, number two: weak men, and number three: weak men who touch me. You fall in two of the three categories."

She walked out of the office and down the hallway. People stood to the side as she walked by, scared she might do to them what she just did to Breyar.

She took notice of their fear and simply brushed her hair aside. "Carry on." When she did, everyone scurried away. She reached her office, closed the door, and leaned against it. She pulled the picture of Ayden out from her cleavage and marveled at it. She couldn't stop staring. His look of strong determination sent chills down her spine. "I can't afford to let anyone hurt you, my dear Carrier. I'll make you all mine very soon."

* * *

With the afternoon sun directly overhead, Ayden, Mendy, and Nami made it out of the forest and stood gazing at what awaited them, Pewter City. Both girls breathed a sigh of relief and dropped to the ground.

Nami fanned her face with her hand. "Thank God! I thought we were gonna be in that forest forever!"

Mendy wiped her brow. "I know, right? Can't wait to get to the Pokémon Center. I could really use a shower."

They looked up and saw Ayden already heading toward the city with Piik riding his shoulder. They looked at each other, shrugged, and then leaned back on a boulder.

"I think we're good for now. We know he's going straight to the Center. We've got time."

Mendy smiled and pulled out a water bottle from her backpack. "Yeah, you've got a point."

As they relaxed their legs, a shadow quickly fell over the girls. They looked up and saw a scraggly man look down on them with a sour face.

He had a dark brown beard, wore hiking gear, and had a deep voice. "Hey, you girls think you can just rest on my merchandise and not pay for it?" The girls looked around and saw their resting area had boulders with price tags on them. The man stomped his boot on the hard dirt. "That'll be a five dollar charge for resting on my boulders, little missy."

They got up and Mendy bowed her head. "We're sorry, we didn't know this was a store. We didn't mean anything by it. We just needed to rest our legs for a minute. We just got out of the Viridian Forest and were a little tired."

The man crossed his arms and looked them over. "Well, you didn't damage anything, so I'll let it go just this once. They may not look like it, but stones are valuable in this city, and we're all just trying to keep our stuff in tip-top shape and make an honest living. So, go on if you're not going to buy anything."

Both girls nodded. "Yes, Sir!"

* * *

The streets of Pewter City bustled with lively activity. People walked around eyeing different shops, some of the women pulled their boyfriends or husbands into certain stores, and kids ran around and played while their parents watched.

Within an alleyway near the edge of the city, a dark figure stood looking over his shoulder. He held a cell phone in his hand and constantly checked his watch. The seconds slowly ticked away until the time finally read 13:00. At that moment, the cell phone went off. The figure made one more look around and answered.

A raspy voice on the other end spoke. "When do Clefairy dance?"

The figure looked around again and then spoke in a whisper. "When the moonlight reflects off the Moon Stone."

The voice spoke again. "Good work so far. Keep it up and you'll get what you want in no time. Here's your next assignment."

* * *

Ayden walked through the town with his hands in his pockets and Piik lazily riding on his shoulders. They scanned the area and saw shop after shop selling nothing but stones. From jewelry to regular rocks, they sold it and did everything they could to get a sale.

He turned a corner and bumped into a young man carrying an armful of stones. The young man of mid-teens had short brown hair and gray eyes behind a pair of glasses. He wore a short-sleeved shirt and baggy jean shorts. Ayden looked around and saw all his stones had scattered about the ground.

He kneeled down and helped pick them up with Piik quickly offering her assistance. "I'm sorry about that."

The young man adjusted his glasses. "No worries. I wasn't really paying attention. Had a lot on my mind."

Piik handed Ayden some of the stones she picked up and then ran back up onto his shoulders. "Thanks, Piik. So where are you headed with all these stones? You sell them too?"

The young man shook his head. "No, I actually work at the Pewter Museum of Science. I was taking these stones over there so they can be put on display."

Ayden stood up with his share of the stones. "The Pewter Museum of Science, huh? That's one of the most famous tourist attractions in Kanto. Working there must be pretty cool. Getting to work side-by-side with all the scientists and see the mysteries of the world unfold."

The young man stood up. "Yeah, it has its moments. I'm Jin by the way."

Ayden extended his hand. "I'm Ayden and this is Piik."

As Jin shook Ayden's hand, his eyes widened as he stared at Piik. "Wow! Your Pikachu has blue cheeks! I've never seen anything like that before! What an amazing find! And she looks really happy too! You two must be pretty close!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "Yeah, she and I haven't been together for that long, but we've been through quite a bit already."

Jin looked down for a second. "It must be nice." Before Ayden could ask what was wrong, he looked back up and smiled. "Anyway, let's get these stones over to the museum. I don't want to get yelled at again." He chuckled as he hastened his pace.

* * *

Mendy and Nami, after dodging the crowd and rejecting persistent shopkeepers, finally made it to the Pokémon Center. They walked in to find the silver-haired boy hadn't shown up yet. Instead, they spotted Joy resting her head on the check-in counter while drumming her fingers.

When they approached the counter, Joy perked up and greeted them. "Why hello. What can I do for you today?"

Mendy placed her hand on the counter. "Nurse Joy, did a boy with silver-hair and a Pikachu come by earlier?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's actually been rather slow today. My last visitor came by two hours ago."

The girls looked at each other and realized they had again lost their target. They went over and took a seat on the couches.

Nami plopped down and breathed a sigh of irritation. "How do we keep doing this? We blink and that jerk just disappears. Come on, let's go find him!" Mendy remained in her seat and yawned. Nami turned back toward her and stomped her foot. "What are you waiting for? That jerk is probably half-way through town by now."

Mendy took another yawn and turned to her. "Relax. There's nothing much we can do at this point. Instead of wandering aimlessly throughout the city, our best chance is to just sit here and wait. He hasn't come by yet and he just got out of the forest. Chances are he'll show up at some point today."

Nami sat back down. "Yeah, that's true, I guess. What do you want to do now?"

Mendy thought for a second then snapped her finger. "Wanna play Shogi?"

Nami looked at her and saw the gleam in her eyes and knew she wanted to play badly. She sighed and gave in. "Sure."

* * *

Ayden and Jin made it to a two-story building in the northern part of town with a fuchsia-colored roof. A large line of people stood at the entrance waiting to get inside.

"Well, here it is; the Pewter Museum of Science." Ayden and Piik gazed at it in awe. He'd only read about it and hoped to get the chance to visit it someday. "Thanks again for helping me bring these stones here. Wanna come in and take a look around? I'll give you the special VIP pass."

Ayden looked over at Piik for a moment and then turned back to Jin. "Yeah, that's sounds great. Thanks."

Jin waved it off. "Hey, don't mention it. It's the least I can do."

They walked in and both Ayden and Piik marveled at what the museum had to offer. They were surrounded by multiple glass cases displaying fossils and artifacts. Everywhere they looked, millions of years of history stood in front of them.

They approached the front desk where a young woman around Jin's age addressed them. She had long brown hair tied in a ponytail and had brown eyes. "Jin, welcome back. Looks like things went well."

Jin laughed. "Yeah, thanks, Maria. Actually, I ran into Ayden here who kindly helped me carry these stones. Ayden just recently became a trainer and came all the way here to compete for his first badge."

She looked over at Ayden and smiled. "Is that so? Well, thank you, Ayden. That was awfully kind of you."

Ayden shook his head. "It was no trouble at all, right Piik?"

Piik shook her head as well.

Jin turned to the Maria. "Where's the Director? Is he back from his meeting yet?"

Maria nodded. "He's waiting for you in his office. He's been expecting you to deliver those stones for quite some time now."

A look of complete horror filled Jin's face. He'd forgotten the schedule for the pick-up of the stones. He looked over at the clock and gasped. "Oh man! I'm really gonna get it now! Ayden, we have to hurry!"

Ayden followed Jin through the lobby, the labyrinth of people, and up the stairs. When they arrived, they saw a burly man waiting for them. He wore a black business suit with a blue tie and black shoes. His mustache extended from one cheek to the other and wiggled whenever he spoke. "I have been waiting for you, Jin. How are the stones doing?"

Jin took in a deep breath. "They're doing just fine. They're in pristine condition and ready to be placed on display."

The Director smiled. "That's wonderful! I knew I could count on you, Jin!"

He looked over Jin's shoulders and saw Ayden standing behind him. "And who is this young man?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Oh, this is Ayden. We bumped into each other earlier, and he was kind enough to help me carry the stones here."

Ayden extended his hand. "How are you, Sir?"

The Director filled the room with a gargled laugh and shook Ayden's hand. "I'm doing just fine, Ayden! My name is Maxwell, but all my friends call me Max! I'm the Director of this museum! Everything in it is under my personal care! I can't thank you enough for helping my boy out! Sometimes I think he has his head so far in the clouds, he doesn't know which way is up!"

Jin turned to him; his face flushed in embarrassment. "Dad!"

Maxwell twisted his mustache and looked over at Jin. His jovial personality quickly became serious. "I'm merely speaking pure facts. How can I entrust you with more important tasks if you can't even keep your head on straight? What exactly goes on in that head of yours?"

Jin looked down at the floor. His whole body trembled. He clenched his fists and held his anger in as best he could. No matter how many times he ran the sentences through his head, he couldn't find the right words to say.

Maxwell stared at him for a bit before walking up to him. He placed his hands on his shoulders and looked Jin in the eyes. "Look, son, you're all I have left. Someday I won't be here, I need someone I can trust to take over my position and keep this museum going. I can only entrust that position to you. Don't let me down, boy. Now on with you. Take Ayden and give him a grand tour of the museum. I need to make some phone calls and get some things straightened out."

They left the office and Jin closed the door behind him. Ayden looked at him as he stood with his hand on the wall. He straightened up and turned to Ayden with a smile. "So, let's get this tour started."

He led Ayden back down the stairs and explained every display they came across. Despite all he had just witnessed between Jin and Maxwell, Ayden couldn't help but be amazed at all the fossils they had collected. He also noticed the numerous amounts of cameras. Each one had been placed specifically to cover the other's blind spots.

Before Ayden realized it, Jin had turned around and faced him. "Now that's pretty much the first floor, but the really interesting stuff is on the second. That's our famous Space Exhibit. It's there we have our most spectacular attraction. We only let those who purchase a special pass or higher to see it."

They headed back up the stairs when they ran into Maxwell again. "Ah Jin, Ayden, how are things? Enjoying the museum? I hope Jin here is explaining things and not daydreaming."

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, you have an excellent museum and Jin is a terrific guide."

Maxwell gave a gargled laugh and slapped Jin on the back. "What did you expect from a future Director? He knows everything there is to know about this museum and then some!"

Ayden placed his hands in his pocket. "I also noticed you have a lot of security cameras around. Is there a specific reason for that?"

Maxwell's face immediately turned serious at the question. He crossed his arms and twisted his mustache. "There is, Ayden. Recently, there have been several reports of robberies within the city. As you may know, our city is known for selling stones, so it's not surprising we sell really rare ones as well. The thief targets stores that sell the rarest and most powerful ones, such as the evolutionary stones. Several stores already have had their prized merchandise swiped."

Ayden stood clenching his fists. He knew the value of the evolutionary stones and the fact that someone would steal them didn't really surprise him, but for some reason, he still felt irritated by it. "Are there any leads as to who the thief might be?"

Maxwell shook his head. "Officer Jenny has been on the case around the clock, but even she can't track down the thief. I hate to say it, but this thief is a master. Just comes in, takes whatever, and goes back out without leaving a trace. That's why I've beefed up my security so that the thief won't try to target the fossils we have."

Jin turned to Ayden. "Dad's been frantic ever since the news of the thief surfaced. He's determined to catch him no matter what. That's why he's so busy on the phone and going to meetings these days. He keeps getting the latest systems to help with the security."

Maxwell nodded. "You can never be too safe. If the thief tries to come here, I'll be ready for him. Come, Ayden, I want to show you the museum's prized possession. This will conclude the tour."

They walked to the second floor then down a long narrow hallway. At the end, a blue and purple orb with tiny stars in it sat on a red pillow inside a glass case. The orb looked like a miniature galaxy.

Maxwell turned to face Jin and Ayden. "This is our most prized exhibit, the Soul Dew. Legend says it contains the powers of the two legendary eon pokémon, Latios and Latias."

Ayden gazed strongly at the orb. He couldn't take his eyes off it. As if some irresistible force drew him to it.

When Maxwell called to him, Ayden snapped back to reality. "Are you okay, Ayden? You looked like you were in some sort of trace or something."

Ayden looked at him, nodded, and then turned to Jin. "Thanks for the tour, it was amazing."

Jin grinned. "Glad you enjoyed it. Please feel free to come by any time. I'll make sure you get in for free again."

They waved goodbye to Ayden as he and Piik made their way down the street. As they walked, Ayden couldn't help think about the thief. His mind flooded with questions. How could a thief come into any of the stores and not leave any clues? What is the thief's main goal?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Well, there's only one thing to do. Come on, Piik, we need to investigate a couple of places."

* * *

Mendy and Nami sat in the lobby continuing their game of Shogi. Nami stared long and hard at the board. She had to figure a way out of Mendy's game play. Finally deciding on a move, she slowly picked up her piece and placed it back down, confident Mendy couldn't take her out with her next move.

Mendy grinned, quickly picked up her piece, and then slammed it back on the board. "Checkmate!"

Nami stared at the board in disbelief then fell backward onto the couch. "Okay, I'm done, you've beaten me five times already."

Mendy held up the peace sign with her fingers. "That's because this is my special Shogi set. No one can beat me when I play on it."

Nami stared at Mendy as she placed the game back in her bag. She couldn't remember a time when she ever beat her. She played so well, she always thought she existed solely to play the game.

Mendy finished placing the set away when she looked up at the clock. They had been playing for a few hours and the silver-haired boy still hadn't checked in.

Nami slammed her hand on the table. "So, when is that jerk coming in anyway?"

Mendy sat back in her seat. "Don't worry. He's got to come by sooner or later."

Nami sat up and looked at Mendy. "What are you gonna do when he does?"

Mendy stared at the table and clenched her fists. "I'm not sure."

* * *

Ayden and Piik walked around the town looking for any signs that the thief had been by. However, everyone went about their day as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. No one looked worried or even looked to have anything on their minds except selling their merchandise.

They approached one store after the owner just got through talking with a customer. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with short black hair, a wrinkled face, and a white headband, eyed Ayden and immediately walked up to him. "Hey there, young trainer! Looks like you have a right keen Pikachu there! And a rare-looking one at that. I've never seen a Pikachu with blue cheeks before. I have just the thing for you, a Thunder Stone!"

He held the stone in front of them and Piik's eyes widened in horror. The moment she laid eyes on it, memories of her time as Team Chaos' experiment resurfaced. Her heart raced and she could barely breathe. Her body trembled as she continued to stare at the stone, unable to tear her eyes away from it.

The shopkeeper continued to try and impress Ayden with his knowledge of the stone. "Use this on your Pikachu, and it'll evolve into a Raichu. Its power will double or even triple. You'll be winning matches before you even know it!"

Ayden looked at him with an emotionless expression. "Thanks, but I'm not interested at the moment."

The shopkeeper scratched his head. "Not interested? Son, I don't know if you fully grasp the situation. If you ever want to be a Pokémon Master, you're gonna need to upgrade your pokémon with the best of the best. Your Pikachu won't evolve unless it's given the Thunder Stone. How else are you gonna draw out its full potential if you don't evolve it?"

Ayden's expression hadn't changed as he placed his hands in his pockets. He wanted to walk away from the merchant, but he knew he had to start somewhere with his investigation. "I'm not interested in evolving Piik. She doesn't need it. She's powerful enough without that anyway. If there ever comes a day where she wants to evolve, then maybe, but until that day comes, I refuse to do anything she doesn't want to do." Piik smiled. Relief flowed throughout her body as she gazed at Ayden. She felt like the luckiest Pikachu in the entire world. The shopkeeper looked at him with irritation and stuffed the stone back into his jacket pocket. "The real reason I wanted to talk to you was to ask you a few questions. Has your store ever been robbed?"

The shopkeeper looked at him for a bit and crossed his arms. "Yeah, I've been robbed. Twice as a matter of fact. That lowlife punk swiped some of my best stuff and took off without leaving a single piece of evidence behind."

Ayden took his hands out of his pockets. "You said you were robbed twice?"

The shopkeeper nodded. "Yeah, the second time came after I bought a new security system. I called Maxwell and asked which system he uses for the museum. He said he used several, but I didn't have the means to afford all those systems like he does, so I asked for one of them. But that still wasn't enough. That sneaky bastard still stole from me!"

Ayden put his hand to his chin and thought for a moment. All the cameras in the museum each had a different brand. Maxwell definitely spared no expense when it came to security. "Do you know of anyone else who uses the same or different system you do?"

The shopkeeper thought for a second. "Yeah, we all have a different system we use. I'm sure some of us use the same, but I couldn't tell ya who off the top of my head."

Ayden nodded. "Thank you for your time."

He and Piik went to another shop down the street. The shopkeeper, a slightly plump woman of late thirties, had curly light blue hair, wore jeans and a white apron over a yellow shirt. Many different types of jewelry had been displayed in cases throughout the store. The jewelry each had a piece of an evolutionary stone imbedded into it and sparkled heavenly. She stood on a stool rearranging some of her stock when she noticed Ayden enter the store.

She got off the stool and walked over to the front counter. "Welcome, young trainer! What can I do for you? Looking for something for a special someone?"

Ayden looked at her and shook his head. "No, actually I was wondering has your store been robbed before; and if it has, what security system do you use?"

The woman stared at him for a second and placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I got robbed. Not too long ago actually. Punk made off with some of my best jewelry. I had heard other stores had been robbed before me, so I went ahead and got one of those security systems. Even then, it wasn't enough to stop the thief. He came in, took what he wanted, and left without a single trace of evidence."

Ayden squinted his eyes. "What kind of system did you buy?"

The shopkeeper crossed her arms. "Well, I wanted my shop to be secure, so I went for the best I could afford. I asked Maxwell up at the museum for some advice and he suggested this particular brand. He has all sorts of brands installed at the museum. So, I figured he'd be the perfect person to ask."

Ayden looked down at the floor. His eyes darted back and forth as he thought about everything he'd heard up till now. He looked back up at the shopkeeper and bowed. "Thank you for your time."

He went around a couple more stores and asked the owners the same questions and each one gave him the same answers. They had all purchased different systems under the recommendation of Maxwell.

After leaving the last store, Ayden turned to Piik. "Looks like we'll be visiting Maxwell a bit sooner than anticipated. Let's go, Piik."

Piik nodded and they made their way toward the museum.

* * *

The sun began to set and all the shopkeepers closed up their stores. The museum closed its doors to the public and Jin bade a goodnight to his co-workers. He walked around the empty museum with a clipboard making his final rounds. When everything checked out, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and smiled when he found Ayden waiting for him. "Back so soon, huh? Sorry, man, you'll have to wait until tomorrow. We just finished closing the place down."

Ayden walked up to Jin and shook his head. "I wanted to speak to you and your father. I've been talking to several of the shopkeepers and they all said they've still been robbed even after they installed their new security systems; the systems your father recommended to them."

Jin's eyes widened. "What? Really? I never knew anything about it. I knew Dad was talking to a lot of people, but I just thought it was just to get more security."

Ayden crossed his arms. "Mind if I speak with him?"

Jin shrugged. "Sure, go ahead. I want some clarification myself. If there's a bug in the systems, he needs to know about it."

They made their way up to the second floor where they found Maxwell busy talking on the phone.

He noticed both boys and waved for them to come in. "Mm-hm, mm-hm, yeah, yeah, that's sounds perfect. Thank you for your time. Yes, I look forward to this new system. Yes, thank you again. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and walked toward the boys. "Ayden! What brings you here? Still haven't had your fill of the museum?"

Ayden shook his head. He explained the situation to Maxwell leaving a horrified look on his face.

"What? How can that be? I research each and every system before I make a purchase. I recommended only the top brands to them and you're saying they still got robbed?"

Ayden nodded. "Yes, and they still don't know how the thief does it either. They say it's like the systems shut down for a moment and then turn back on again."

Maxwell gripped his chest as though he had a heart attack. He took several steps back and leaned against his desk. "No, this can't be happening. What if my systems shut down and the thief makes off with the Soul Dew or any other priceless artifacts in the museum?"

Jin stepped up. "We can ask Officer Jenny if she and her department can lend more officers."

Maxwell shook his head. "No, I already asked. She said her department was stretched thin enough as it is. Oh, what am I going to do? Each item in the museum is absolutely priceless! If anything is taken, the reputation of this museum will be shattered! I'll be a complete laughingstock!"

Ayden looked at them both. "How about I help stand guard?" Both of them looked at him in shock. "My pokémon and I can help guard your museum."

Jin adjusted his glasses in disbelief. "You'd really do that, Ayden?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, it's the least I can do after you showed me such a rare item. You'll help too, right Piik?"

Piik pumped her tiny fists into the air and cheered.

Tears welled up in Maxwell's eyes and he gave Ayden a hug. "I can't thank you enough, Ayden! Please help protect my museum!"

* * *

Mendy and Nami sat in the lobby, waiting on Ayden to arrive. They looked up at the clock and it read 21:29.

Nami heaved a sigh and yawned. "You know, I don't think this plan of yours is working. If my beauty sleep gets ruined because of him, he'll be paying for more than just the bike."

Mendy shook her head. She even had to admit her plan had failed. However, she couldn't risk the chance of missing him coming into the Center. She had to confront him for what he did and make him pay for it.

"You can go to sleep if you want. I'm staying up. There's no way I'm letting him off the hook that easily. He's going to pay one way or another. I… won't let him… get away with this."

Nami looked at her as Mendy tried to keep her tears from falling. She sat next to her, wrapped her arm around her shoulder and pulled her in. "Then I'm staying up too. You're my best friend, Mendy. No matter what you're going through, I'll always be there for you."

Nami's words calmed her down and she nodded. Even though her best friend comforted her, she still couldn't help the tears. All she could think about was the day she received the bike and how precious it was to her. She dug her face into Nami's shirt and cried. "My… bike! I want it back! I want my bike back!"

* * *

Ayden and Piik walked around the museum surveying the area on the first floor. Everything looked to be in place with nothing suspicious going on in Ayden's eyes. Piik helped out as well keeping her ears focused for anything out of the ordinary. Jin surveyed the second floor and Maxwell sat in his office studying each monitor with upmost worry. Every few seconds he would glance up at the monitor that focused on the Soul Dew.

After a bit, Jin came down the stairs carrying a tray of sodas and snacks. He found Ayden sitting on a couch with Piik lying down next to him. Ayden seemed to be deep in thought as he sat perfectly still as though he were a statue. "Want a break?"

Ayden turned to Jin and eyed the tray of food. "Yeah, thanks."

They finished over half the tray before Ayden broke the silence. "Doesn't look like the thief's coming. It's already three in the morning. Maybe we should call it a night."

Jin yawned and stretched. "Yeah, point taken. At least we prevented anything from being stolen. Maybe the thief gave up."

Ayden took another sip of soda. "Maybe. So, what's the deal with you and your dad? I thought you liked working at the museum." Jin avoided eye contact. Holding his anger in, he crushed the empty soda can in his hand. "Unless, working at the museum isn't what you really want to do. What do you want to do?"

Jin looked at Ayden then changed his gaze over to Piik sleeping soundly on the couch. A smile spread on his face as he gazed at how comfortable and relaxed she seemed. "I want to be a Pokémon Watcher. I love pokémon. I want to study them in their natural habitats, travel the world, and maybe even be able to study a legendary pokémon. There's just so much we don't know about them."

Ayden saw how Jin's face lit up just from talking about pokémon. He had a very strong passion about becoming a Pokémon Watcher. "Why don't you just tell your dad that?"

Jin shook his head. "What difference would it make? It doesn't matter what I want. All he cares about is keeping the museum running. Anything else wouldn't matter to him. No matter what I do, he just tells me to forget about it and focus on the museum. Says I'm daydreaming and I need to stay focused on what's in front of me. Museum this and museum that! That's all he ever thinks about!" He looked over at Ayden and realized he'd said too much. All the anger he had for his dad just slipped out. "I'm sorry about that, Ayden. I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm heading for bed. I'll see you in the morning."

Jin retreated back upstairs and Ayden shifted his gaze from him to Piik. He decided to stay up a little longer and stare up at the moon.

* * *

The tires screeched and the car slammed into the guardrail flipping it over. It tumbled several times before landing in the water. The moment the car hit the surface, Ayden woke up. The sun glared into his eyes as he sat up in the sofa. Outside, he heard police sirens and ran outside to see what happened.

Police cars sped down the road toward a shop a couple of streets from the museum. Piik woke up and ran toward Ayden climbing her way to his shoulder. Jin and Maxwell appeared a moment later and joined Ayden at the door.

Jin's eyes widened in shock at the spectacle in front of them. "You don't think the thief…"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, looks like his target wasn't the museum this time. Let's go see what happened."

The three made their way toward all the police cars. Officer Jenny spoke to the store owner while her subordinates worked crowd control. The owner, a fairly young woman of late twenties, looked distraught as she sobbed uncontrollably. She had auburn hair and wore a T-shirt and jeans.

Officer Jenny tried her best to get her to calm down. "Miss, please, everything is going to be all right. I just need you to tell me all that you know."

The woman choked back some tears and took in some deep breaths. "Well, I just purchased a security system not too long ago. My family has collected amberite for generations. It's a very rare stone. I felt safe with the new system installed, but when I opened the store this morning… everything was gone! Every stone my family had collected over the years was taken! What am I gonna do? I'll never be able to face them now!"

She dug her face into her hands and sobbed harder. Officer Jenny tried to comfort her, but yielded little results.

After a bit, one of Jenny's subordinates came out of the store. "Ma'am, we've just finished searching the store, there are no leads or clues."

Jenny clicked her tongue. "Damn, just who are we up against? No matter what, there're never any clues to go on."

The woman looked up at her. "Wait… what does that mean?"

Jenny looked away from her gaze. "It means we're back to square one. We don't have any leads to try and catch the thief. I'm sorry, but we can't help you get your stones back as of this moment."

The woman's eyes widened and she grabbed Jenny's shoulders. "You can't be serious! You have to do something! Those were the stones my family had been collecting for over eighty years! You have to get them back! Please, I'm begging you!"

Jenny tried to loosen her grip, but her fingers clamped onto her shoulders. "Miss, we're trying everything we can, but there's only so much we can do."

The woman's grip tightened. She shook Jenny and pinned her to the ground. "That's not good enough! Why can't you people do your jobs? What's the point of a police force if they can't catch one lousy thief! How do you think we feel knowing we can't do anything against someone the police can't even find?"

Soon, Jenny's subordinates came around and restrained the woman. She flailed around and tried to pull out of their grip. They applied cuffs on her and led her to one of the cars.

"Get your hands off me! You're supposed to arrest the thief, not me! Get my stones back! You have to get them back!"

One of the cops went over to Jenny. "Ma'am, are you all right?"

Jenny sat up and massaged her shoulders. "Yeah, I'm good. She's got a point though. What good are we, if we can't even capture one thief?"

She stood up and dusted herself off. "Come on! We're heading back to the station! There's nothing more we can do here!"

Soon, they all returned to their cars and drove away. The crowd soon dispersed leaving Ayden, Maxwell, and Jin behind.

Maxwell stood shaking uncontrollably. "I know that woman. She came to the museum wanting to speak with me. She asked about my security systems. I recommended one of my favorites. It's a top of the line system. And yet, even so, she was still robbed. Oh, this is just terrible! What am I gonna do if the thief decides to target the museum?"

He ran back toward the museum, flailing his arms frantically while Ayden and Jin stood watching his large body dodge the oncoming crowd of people.

Jin dropped his shoulders and breathed a sigh as he adjusted his glasses. "Now what? The thief's still at large and continues to prove he can bypass any security system. This is more troublesome than I thought."

Ayden nodded. "Agreed. You go ahead and check on your dad. I need to get my pokémon over to the Center. I'll meet back up with you at the museum in a couple of hours."

Jin nodded and gave him a thumbs up. "Okay, sounds good. See you in a bit."

He took off down the street toward the museum and Ayden breathed a heavy sigh and turned toward Piik. "Come on. There's nothing much we can do here."

Piik solemnly agreed and they made their way toward the Center.

Jin ran down the streets when his cell phone went off. He paused, took out his phone and made his way to a nearby alley. He looked over his shoulders several times before answering.

A voice came through the other end. "When do Clefairy dance?"

Jin straightened up and adjusted his glasses. "When the moonlight reflects off the Moon Stone."


	5. For a Friend

**Hello, everyone! Chapter 5 is finally up! I hope you all enjoy reading it. Please let me know what you think of the chapter and the story so far. Thank you all again for reading my story and I hope you continue to do so.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 5**

The sun graced Pewter City with its warm streams of light as the city woke up and greeted the new day. Many of the citizens continued to stand around and talk over the most recent store robbery. Jin stood in the alleyway listening to the person on the other end of the line laugh.

The voice cleared its throat. "Good work so far. I'm actually quite impressed. From what I hear, even the police can't seem to track you down. I knew it was fate that brought us together."

Jin swallowed his nerves and took in a deep breath. "Is this… enough?"

The voice paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, what was that? Must've been some static on my end or something. Could you repeat that for me?"

Jin took another deep breath. "Is this enough? I've gotten you a lot of stones already. When is this going to stop?"

The voice chuckled. "My, aren't you impatient. Don't worry, kid, I'll let you know when it's time for you to stop."

Jin stomped his foot in frustration. "Come on! Enough already! You told me if I stole a few stones for you, you'd let me off the hook!"

The voice's tone turned strict. "Settle down, boy!" Jin froze as he realized he'd gone too far. "I don't know who you think you are, but you're not in any position to be telling anyone how this is going to work. Need I remind you I have something you want? So, if you want to have it back in one piece, I'd suggest you shut up and do as I say. After all, I can keep having you do this for another day, month, year, or even for the rest of your life. You belong to me. Not the other way around. Don't ever think you're in any position to argue our agreement. Now, what do you say?"

Tears fell down Jin's face as he trembled. He could barely form words as his mind continued to contemplate his current situation. "I'm… so very sorry. I-I won't do it again."

The voice chuckled. "Good boy. Keep doing what you're doing and I might even have a little surprise for you."

Jin took a deep breath and spoke. "Please, may I speak with her? Could you please put her on the line?"

The voice paused for a moment. "Well, after all the hard work you've done, I guess that's a reasonable request."

After a moment, Jin heard whimpering cries and the rattling of a cage. His heart pounded faster. He couldn't believe it. "Vulpix? Vulpix, it's me! I'm so glad to hear you. Everything is going to be okay, Vulpix."

The voice spoke again. "You miss your pokémon that much, huh? I don't blame you, it's such a beautiful Vulpix. Would be quite the shame if something were to happen to it."

The sound of electricity and Vulpix's cries soon filled Jin's ears. His eyes widened and his temper flared. "What are you doing to her? Stop it! Please stop it! Don't harm her! Please, I beg you!"

The voice spoke again. "Then remember your place, boy. That little bit was for your attitude earlier. Keep doing as I say and I may just give you your pokémon back. Give me lip again, get the cops involved, or even fail in my orders and Vulpix will be sent to you in a five-piece set. Got it?"

Jin nodded. "Yes, sir."

The voice spoke again. "Good, now go on. I'll call you again with your next assignment."

The person hung up and Jin fell to his knees.

The person on the other end, flipped the phone back on and punched in a number. "Hey, it's me. Let the Captain know I'll have all the stones for her after one last raid."

* * *

Back at the Team Chaos headquarters, a Chaos soldier marched briskly down the hallway toward Captain Rose's office. Other members took notice and watched as he made his way toward what had been come to be known throughout the headquarters as the "Gates of Hell". Captain Rose had a reputation of being very impatient when it came to others coming to her office. Her subordinates knew it best to contact her via phone. However, considering the urgency of the message, and the fact he happened to be close by, the soldier decided to visit her in person.

He came to her door and he could feel the eyes of all the other soldiers watching him. He could hear them whispering, giggling, and placing bets on his fate.

He ignored them, took one last breath, and then knocked on the door with several loud bangs. In that moment, complete silence fell on the hallway. Everyone stood petrified as they awaited the young soldier's fate. The soldier stood wondering what could be keeping her. Suddenly, he heard several loud crashes and bangs. The soldier jumped back and everyone in the hallway retreated into a nearby doorway still eager to see what would transpire.

The hallway fell silent and the young soldier leaned into the door. He raised his hand to knock again when it opened slightly and Rose appeared through the narrow opening. The darkness of her room nearly covered her face as she stood behind the door.

The soldier immediately stood at attention and addressed her. "Ma'am, Senior Chaos Grunt Kinners reporting."

Rose stared at him for a minute. "What do you want?"

Kinners' heart pounded in his chest. He just had to relay the report and then leave, but for some reason it became ten times harder in practice than in theory. However, he kept his bearing and proceeded. "Ma'am, here to report that the member we sent to Pewter City, Second Lieutenant Brandon, has gotten most of the stones you have asked for and is about to retrieve the very last bit."

Rose remained silent for a moment. Within that moment, Kinners' heart pounded even faster and sweat fell down his brow.

Rose stared at him and then yawned. " _Most_ … of the stones? I'm pretty sure I explicitly stated not to report back until _all_ of the stones were gathered. Was there something wrong with my instructions? Was I not clear enough? Please tell me."

Kinners trembled as well as the audience in the doorways. They felt as those they were the ones being questioned.

Kinners gathered up enough courage to answer her back. "Your orders were perfect as always, Ma'am! Second Lieutenant Brandon simply wanted to let you know of his progress with the mission!"

Rose squinted her eyes and continued to stare at him. Kinners felt as though her eyes had penetrated his flesh, gazing at his soul to see if he should remain alive or not. "Is that so? Then please tell Brandon to keep up the good work and to move to the final phase of the mission."

Kinners' breathing relaxed. He felt he could go back to his quarters in one piece. "Yes, Ma'am!"

He saluted her and then gave an about-face.

Just as he took a step, she called out to him. "Oh, one more thing, Senior Chaos Grunt Kinners." He froze in mid-stride and dared not even breathe. "If you ever knock on my door again without a prior appointment, I'll make certain you'll never have the means to knock again."

Beads of sweat fell down Kinners' face as he responded. "Y-y-yes, Ma'am!"

She slammed the door and Kinners felt his crotch dampen. He stood shaking unable to move from that spot.

Rose leaned against her door and moved a bit of her hair out of her face. The walls of her room were filled with blown up posters of the image of Ayden her subordinates gave her. She walked over to her desk and picked up the original photo. She then noticed all the messages saved on her phone.

She clicked her tongue and sat down. "Damn, just when I was getting to the good part."

* * *

After dodging the crowds around the city, Ayden finally arrived at the Pokémon Center. As he made his way toward Nurse Joy, he spotted Mendy and Nami asleep on the couch. They slept side by side with their heads tilted toward each other.

Ayden ignored them and proceeded toward the counter where Nurse Joy greeted him with a smile. "Good morning! How may I help you today?"

Ayden nodded. "Good morning, Nurse Joy. Could you give my pokémon a check-up? They've been through quite a bit and haven't really had much of a break."

Joy bowed. "No problem. Just set your pokémon on this tray and I'll take care of the rest. Also, you must be whom they were talking about. Those young ladies over there have been waiting for you to arrive since yesterday. They even camped out in the lobby."

Ayden looked back on them and turned to Nurse Joy. "Is that so?" He then placed Spearow and Heracross' pokéballs on the tray and Piik jumped onto the counter. "Now, Piik, be good for Nurse Joy, okay. I'll see you in a bit."

Piik nodded and then followed Joy into the back.

Mendy opened her eyes and glanced over at the counter. Her eyes widened as she just saw Ayden leave and head for the cafeteria.

She sat up and shook Nami's shoulder. "Nami! Quick, wake up! He's here!"

Nami grunted and swatted Mendy's hands away. "Five more minutes."

Mendy turned to her in frustration and then pinched her nose. After a bit, Nami jumped up and gasped for air. "Hey! What was that for?"

Mendy stood up and stretched. "I've been trying to tell you. That kid's here. He just went into the cafeteria. Come on, let's go!"

Nami yawned and rolled off the couch. "Great, it's when I'm having a great dream he decides he wants to show up!"

They ran through the lobby and into the cafeteria and spotted Ayden sitting in the middle of the cafeteria eating a plate of eggs and toast. They looked at each other, nodded, then went and sat down with him.

Ayden looked up, caught their eyes, and then went back to eating.

Mendy couldn't take it anymore. She was going to get him to pay up one way or another. "So, where were you all of yesterday? Trying to duck out on paying me back for my bike?"

Ayden continued eating as though no one else had sat down. His mind focused more on what happened last night. How the thief could steal from any store and not leave any clues behind boggled him. His eyes darted back and forth as he attempted to connect all the information into something solvable. He continued this until he heard police sirens.

He looked up and saw Mendy and Nami stare out the window.

Nami leaned her shoulder against the wall. "Wonder what that's all about."

Mendy shrugged. "Who knows?"

Ayden quickly stood up and darted out the cafeteria. He had a bad feeling about this and he hoped he was wrong. The girls quickly followed him; determined not to let him out of their sight again. Ayden ran into the lobby where Joy awaited him with his tray of pokémon.

The moment Piik saw him, she jumped off Joy's shoulders and into Ayden's arms.

Nurse Joy smiled and held out the tray. "Here you go, Ayden. Your pokémon are perfectly fine. Make sure you don't train too hard now. Have a good day."

Ayden retrieved his pokémon, gave Joy a bow, and then ran out of the center along with Mendy and Nami. The moment they stepped outside; they heard a commotion coming from the museum. They rushed over and found a large crowd of people protesting. Ayden spotted several of the people he met yesterday yelling at the top of their lungs. Officer Jenny and her squad did their best to contain the crowd.

She yelled into a bullhorn while pushing people back. "Please, everyone, try to remain calm! I'm sure we can discuss this rationally!"

One of the people in front of the crowd shouted back. "There's nothing to discuss! Maxwell ripped us all off! He suggested faulty systems to us and now we've all been robbed!"

Another protester continued her theory. "He has to be working with the thief!"

The rest of the crowd agreed and the protesting grew larger. Jenny backed up unable to contain their growing fury.

She steeled herself and yelled into the bullhorn again. "If you all don't stop this right now, I'll be forced to put you all under arrest!"

The protesters retorted back. "The one you should be arresting is Maxwell! If you can't catch the real thief, at least get his accomplice!"

The crowd agreed again and Jenny became scared as they chanted 'do your job'. She couldn't control the crowd and they steadily inched closer toward breaking through her barricade. She had another option, but she didn't want to have to use it.

Ayden, Mendy, and Nami stare at the large crowd of angry store owners. Both girls looked on in awe at the spectacle.

Nami whistled as the crowd pushed the police back. "Man, these people are ticked off. They're going crazy over there. What in the world is this all about?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, they're really angry about something. I heard someone say they were robbed."

Nami grinned. "Maybe they all had a run-in with Mr. Personality here. Maybe he's the one that robbed them. He certainly has a knack for it."

They looked around and saw Ayden walk toward the crowd. The protesters slowly inched toward the museum, pushing through the police barricade, and yelling out obscenities toward the Maxwell as well as the police. "Come on! Let's go get him!"

Jenny knew she didn't have a choice in the matter anymore. She took out her pokéball and threw it. "Growlithe, I need your help!"

Soon a red and orange canine pokémon appeared in front of the crowd. It growled at the protestors, ready to act on its master's command.

Jenny raised the bullhorn. "This is your last warning; leave peacefully or you will all be placed under arrest!"

The protestors backed up as the other officers called out their pokémon as well. Mendy and Nami looked onward holding their breaths. This was getting really good. After a few minutes, the crowd dispersed. They walked past the trio causing Mendy and Nami to slide out of the way of incoming protestors. As they walked past Ayden, he could see their livid expressions and heard their mumbled explicit insults.

Jenny breathed a sigh of relief and then recalled growlithe. She tucked it away and then she and her squad headed back to their cars.

Ayden approached Jenny just as she entered her vehicle. "Officer Jenny, what was that all about?"

She looked up and immediately took notice of Ayden's hair and the Pikachu on his shoulders. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Ayden, would you?"

Ayden paused. He straightened up before answering her. "Yeah, how did you know?"

Jenny smiled. "My little sister mentioned you the other day. She said you were a big help when the Viridian City Pokémon Center was under attack. She said she couldn't believe what she was seeing and had nothing but the highest praise for you."

Ayden lightly smiled. "Well, thank you, but Piik is the one who deserves the credit. She was the one who put a stop to those guys."

He patted Piik on the head and she blushed.

Jenny's smile widened. "Well, it's good to know such a strong pair happened to be in the right place in the right time. Thank you both."

Ayden and Piik both bowed. "But about that crowd, what was all that about? They were the ones Maxwell gave advice to about the security systems, right?"

Jenny applied her seatbelt then looked back up at Ayden. "Looks like someone is doing his own investigation. You're correct, they were all angry and decided to storm the museum and attack him. Luckily, we got the call just in time. Look, I know you're just trying to help, but this is beyond something you can handle. I ask that you leave it to me and my squad, okay?"

With that, she revved up her car and took off down the road.

As soon as she left, Mendy and Nami approached Ayden. "Hey, what were you talking about with Officer Jenny?"

Ayden headed toward the museum as if she hadn't said anything. Mendy growled and followed him along with Nami.

When they approached the door, Ayden knocked several times until Jin popped his head out. "Ayden? Ayden! Great to see you, man! What's up?"

Ayden shrugged. "Nothing much. Wanted to see how you were doing after that little show back there."

Jin shook his head. "It's amazing. We tried to tell them we had nothing to do with it, but they wouldn't let us explain."

"How's your dad doing?"

Jin dropped his shoulders and heaved a sigh. "He's hiding in his office praying no one comes in and hurts him. Anyway, why don't you come on in and have something."

They made their way inside when Mendy and Nami ran up to them. "So, just gonna dash away again, huh? I don't need to remind you I'm going to keep following you until you repay me for my bike!"

Jin turned around and saw the pair of angry girls standing at the foot of the steps with their hands on their hips. "Ayden, who are these girls? Are they friends of yours?"

Ayden turned to them and then back to Jin and shrugged.

Mendy stomped her foot. "We already told you our names! So, your name's Ayden, huh? Well, at least now I know what to call you."

Nami took a step forward and crossed her arms. "I don't know. I still think 'jerk' is a more fitting name."

Piik's fur rose as she charged up her cheeks. Ayden petted her and she calmed back down. "Easy there, Piik."

Jin turned to the girls. "So, if you aren't friends, then why are you walking around with him?"

Nami scoffed. "As if! We're only following him because he owes my friend for not only stealing her bike, but destroying it! And he's not getting out of our sight until he pays up!"

Jin took a step back and whistled. "Wow! Looks like you've got some enemies, Ayden."

Ayden thought back to Team Chaos and then shook his head. "You have no idea."

Jin chuckled then snapped his fingers. "Well, whether you're friends or not, why don't we all go inside. I'm sure we can talk a lot easier than out here. Plus, I need to go check on my dad and make sure he's not doing anything drastic."

They walked inside and Mendy and Nami gasped in amazement at the interior. Every display caught their eye and they wanted to stay and view them a little longer. They made it to Maxwell's office only to find it locked.

Jin knocked on the door. "Hey, dad! It's me! You can come out now! Threat's over! I even have Ayden with me!"

They heard footsteps and then the clicking of locks. The door finally swung open to reveal a tearful Maxwell.

He instantly ran up and gave his son a hug. "Jin! Jin! Thank God you're all right! I was so worried things were going to get terrible down there!"

Jin patted him on the back. "It's okay, Dad. Look I even have Ayden and a couple more guests."

Maxwell's face brightened at the news. He rushed over and hugged Ayden. "Ah, Ayden! Welcome back! I'm so glad to see you!"

* * *

They all retreated to the first floor where Jin prepared drinks while Maxwell sat with Ayden. Mendy and Nami continued to marvel at the museum and kept coming back to the exhibits of ancient water pokémon.

Maxwell looked deeply uncomfortable and kept fidgeting as he sat on the sofa. "It's only a matter of time. I just know the thief is going to come and steal everything. If all the other store owners were robbed, then there's no hope for the museum. He'll just slip right past everything. I don't know what to do!"

Ayden sat with his fingers to his chin. His mind sped through everything he knew about the thief's actions. According to what Officer Jenny said, every store in the city had at least one robbery. The only store left was the museum. But how was the thief able to get in and out without getting detected?

Jin had set the stove and waited for the water to boil. He uncrossed his arms and looked down to the floor as the guilt plagued his mind. He thought about every store in the city and what he had done. "I'm sorry, everyone. Please, just put up with it just a little bit longer. I promise I'll pay you all back somehow."

His phone rang and it snapped him out of his train of thought. He moved further to the back of the kitchen and then answered.

The raspy voice came through. "When do Clefairy dance?"

Jin gulped and then answered. "When the moonlight reflects off the Moon Stone."

The voice chuckled. "Very good. I'm glad you're the type that picks up on a moment's notice. And congratulations on making it this far. As a reward, I'm here to tell you something really nice. You have one last assignment."

Jin felt his heart skip a beat. He couldn't believe his ears. "R-Really?"

"One last jobs and then you'll be done, and you'll be reunited with your precious Vulpix."

Jin gasped, but took a deep breath. "Please, don't harm her. I'll do the job. Just please don't hurt her."

The voice laughed. "That all depends on you, boy. Complete the job and then give us every stone you stole. Once we have all of them, you'll get your Vulpix back. Fail, and I hate to see what my boss gives me permission to do to her."

Jin's eyes widened. "Please, don't. I'll do it! I'll do the job without fail! Just tell me what it is!"

The voice chuckled. "Eager, are we? Fine, your last job is to steal the Soul Dew from the Science Museum."

Jin whole body froze. "W-W-Wait, the Soul Dew? That stone's protected twenty-four seven. There are multiple locks and cameras on it when it's not on display."

"Not my problem. Have the stone in your possession by tomorrow morning at 04:00 sharp. We'll meet by the entrance to Route 3. If you fail, then you can say farewell to each limb of your Vulpix as I send them to you."

He hung up and Jin fell to the floor. He gripped the phone and tensed up. One last assignment and it would be over. He had to complete it, but it wouldn't be without a struggle.

He walked back into the room with a tray of refreshments. Mendy and Nami were the first at the free snacks.

Maxwell took his cup and sat back in his chair. "It is a real shame that this is going on now. Our town is famous for stones. It's our pride. For someone to steal them makes a mockery of every citizen in Pewter City. What's worse, there's nothing we can do to stop them."

Mendy reached for another cookie. "So, this thief has robbed every store in the city and hasn't left a single piece of evidence? Talk about skill."

Maxwell set his cup down. "This is no time to be impressed, young lady! The pride of Pewter City is at stake! I have no doubt the thief will be coming for the museum next and I plan on being ready for him!"

Nami took a sip of her tea. "What's your plan?"

Maxwell giggled. "I plan on staying up the entire night! There's no way he can get past me if I'm not asleep!"

Nami dropped her shoulders in disappointment. "Wow, great plan. It's so stupid, it's brilliant."

* * *

Night fell as everyone sat in the lobby waiting for the thief.

Maxwell came down the stairs with Jin close behind him. "I just got through installing a last ditch effort against the thief. I've installed security barriers around all the fossils and stones in the museum. The only ones who know the codes are Jin and I. Even if the thief does show up, he won't be getting past this defense."

Mendy grinned. "Sounds like you have everything under control now."

Maxwell gave a gargled laugh. "You've got that right, little lady! When it comes to this museum's reputation, I spare no expense! This museum's been a part of our family for generations! I will do whatever it takes to make sure no harm falls onto it!"

Jin turned toward Ayden and the girls. "Hey guys, thank you all for helping us out. I know you're all really busy, but Dad and I really appreciate you helping us catch this thief."

Nami clenched her fists. "Just leave it to us! We'll defend this museum and everything in it. That thief won't be making off with anything!"

Jin smiled. "Thanks. Here let me make you all some tea as a way of showing my appreciation. I'm also certain we still have some cakes left too."

Mendy and Nami beamed. "Really? That sounds delicious!

Jin made his way back into the kitchen. He got out the cake and then prepped the tea. As the tea neared completion, he took a vile out of his pocket. The vile contained sleep powder from one of the pokémon he studied a while back.

He opened the vile and poured the powder into each cup aside from his own. The powder blended into the drinks until no visible trace remained.

When he placed everything on the tray, he bowed his head. "Dad, Ayden, Mendy, Nami, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for what I'm about to do."

He took the tray and headed back to the living room. Mendy and Nami sat in anticipation for the sweets while Ayden sat in deep concentration.

Jin set the tray on the table and passed out the refreshments. "Sorry for the wait, everyone. Please, dig in."

Mendy and Nami didn't hesitate to dive into the desserts and tea. Jin handed Maxwell his cup and then took his seat. He had to make sure every one of them took a drink. Even the tiniest sip would be enough. He first glanced at the girls who had already chugged half of their tea already. He turned his attention to Maxwell who slowly drank his tea to stop himself from shaking.

Ayden hadn't picked up his drink or taken any of the sweets. Piik eyed the refreshments and then jumped down toward the cakes, happily scarfing them down as much as her pudgy cheeks could hold.

Jin continued to eye Ayden with anticipation. He had to get him to drink. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to steal the Soul Dew. "Ayden, something on your mind?"

Ayden glanced up and shook his head. "No, not really. Just thinking about all that's happened since we came here."

Jin smiled nervously. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. Like Dad said, we have the most top of the line security in the city. The museum will be perfectly fine. We all will make sure of it, right? Why don't you take a drink while it's still hot?"

Ayden stared at Jin for a second before going back to his train of thought. "You're right. No use dwelling on in. This tea smells really good. What brand is it?"

Jin took a sip. "It's a little blend I happened to stumble upon by accident. I hope you guys find it to your liking."

The girls gave him the thumbs up and Maxwell gave him an approving nod.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Well, with such reviews, how can I refuse? Hope you don't mind, but I would like to sweeten it up a little."

Ayden reached into his bag, pulled out a chocolate bar and gave half to Piik. The other half he crumbled into his tea and stirred. The chocolate mixed with the tea giving it a caramel color.

Jin looked at him in confusion. "We have some sugar if wanted some."

Ayden shook his head. "No thanks. I know it's a little weird, but I've found chocolate to go better with tea." After all the waiting, Jin held his breath as Ayden put the cup to his mouth, take several sips, and place it back down. "They're right, it's really good. Here, Piik, have some."

She happily lapped up the tea and beamed. Jin smiled and breathed a silent sigh of relief as he looked at the half empty cup. He'd done it. "Thanks, I'm glad you all liked it."

* * *

The clock on the wall read 23:00, the refreshments had vanished, and the girls sat on the couches rubbing their stomachs.

Mendy hiccupped and leaned back in her seat. "That was so good. I don't think I can eat another bite."

Nami nodded. "Yeah, my stomach's so full I could use a nap."

Mendy yawned. "Wait, we can't. We have to stay up and catch the thief."

Nami yawned as well. "I know, but I'm just so tired."

With that, the girls gave one final yawn before passing out.

Maxwell looked at them, started to get up, but sat back down. The fatigue got to him and he yawned as well. "I didn't eat as much as them, but I guess in my age, staying up this late is a bad idea."

He yawned then curled up into a ball in his chair before closing his eyes. Ayden fell asleep on the couch with Piik nestled in his arms.

Jin looked around and waited for a few minutes. He went over to each of them and shook them. None of them responded. Everything went perfectly.

He went up to the second floor and went to work on the locks and the codes. After a few minutes he had unlocked everything and took the Soul Dew in his hands. He marveled at the stone. With its majestic vibe and its perfectly spherical shape, he could feel otherworldly powers in his hands.

"I had a feeling you'd come for that sooner or later, Jin."

Jin's eyes widened and he looked back and saw Ayden standing behind him with Piik ready to pounce. He froze as he stood with the Soul Dew in his hands. "B-B-But that's impossible! How are you still awake? I saw you drink the tea!"

Ayden crossed his arms. "The moment I smelled the tea, I knew something was off. The fragrance was too familiar. You added a type of powder to it, didn't you? Judging by the scent, it was from a Vileplume." Jin's jaw dropped. "Vileplume are unique grass-types. Each of their attacks gives off a unique scent. In Sleep Powder's case, it's very relaxing."

Jin's body shook and he tightened his grip on the Soul Dew. "That still doesn't explain how you're still awake! I saw you drink it!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "Oh that? The moment I realized what was in the tea, I decided to add my own ingredient to it." Jin froze as he remembered Ayden putting the chocolate bar in his tea. "Chocolate's base ingredient, cocoa beans, act as a solvent to Vileplume's Sleep Powder, giving the tea nothing more than a bitter taste and negating all of its sleep-inducing effects. Now the real question is, why are you of all people the thief, Jin?"

Jin fell to his knees in defeat. He knew there wasn't any point in denying it. He'd lost. Tears fell down his cheeks has he sobbed. "I… I was… so close… so close to getting my Vulpix back and ending all of this!"

Ayden raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Jin looked up at Ayden. "I didn't steal all the stones because I wanted to! I was forced to by some guy from Team Chaos!"

Ayden's eyes widened then he grabbed Jin by the shoulders. "Team Chaos forced you to do this? When? Why? Where are they now?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "It was about a couple months ago. I was on break from my shift. I usually go into the forest around Route 3 to do some observing of the pokémon there. That's when I came across an injured Vulpix. I treated its wounds and took care of it. Since then, we became good friends. She came with me on all my observation trips and even helped me track down some rare pokémon. However, my Dad wouldn't allow me to have any pokémon. He just wanted me to continue working at the museum. So, I kept Vulpix a secret.

Then a few weeks ago, while we were doing some observing, we were attacked by some guy dressed in black. He took Vulpix and told me to steal all the stones for him in the city if I wanted her back. I didn't have a choice. He was going to hurt her if I didn't cooperate. So, I went around and stole from all the stores. Since they all used the security systems my dad recommended, it was easy to undo the codes, disable the locks, and walk in." Tears fell down his face as he forced himself to continue. "Now, he said I just had one more job to do and then he'd give Vulpix back! I didn't want to hurt anyone! I just wanted all of this to be over!"

Ayden clenched his fists. "I don't know what exactly he told you, but you can bet he wasn't going to give you Vulpix back that easily. Even if you did give him all the stones, he'd find some way to keep you on the hook. These people don't care about anything except doing whatever it takes to get what they want."

Jin gripped the Soul Dew tighter. "What am I supposed to do then? He'll kill her if I don't do what he says!"

Ayden thought for a second then helped Jin back on his feet. "When and where is the meeting point?"

Jin wiped away his tears and cleared his throat. "Tomorrow morning… four a.m. … at the entrance to Route 3."

Ayden nodded. "Okay. You continue doing what he wants you to do. Act like everything is completely normal. Just leave everything else to me."

Jin looked at him as he went down the stairs toward the exit. "Wait! What're you gonna do? He'll hurt her if the police get involved!"

Ayden waved back to him. "Don't worry about it! You go to the meeting spot like you're supposed to! Just trust me!"

Jin watched him leave, hoping he had a plan.

* * *

Jin walked down the dirt road toward the entrance to Route 3 with a large bag of stones flung over his shoulders. He glanced at his watch and looked up. He'd hoped Team Chaos would keep their word and let him and Vulpix off the hook, but judging from what Ayden said, he had his doubts.

His watch beeped signaling the new hour then his phone rang. He quickly dropped the bag and answered.

The same voice spoke. "When do Clefairy dance?"

Jin cleared his throat and then answered. "When the moonlight… reflects off the Moon Stone."

The voice laughed. "Did you get all that I asked for?"

Jin nodded. "Yes, it's all here, even the Soul Dew. Please, let my Vulpix go!"

The voice laughed again. "So impatient. You forget who's in charge here, boy. Leave the stones where you are and then walk back home. When I've confirmed everything that I asked for is there, I'll set your Vulpix free. Until then, go back home."

Jin couldn't believe it. After all this time, he still had to wait. He hung up then walked back to Pewter City.

The Chaos member crept out of the bushes and walked toward the bag. He grinned as he stared at the haul he had just raked in. Evolutionary stones, jewelry, amberite, and most importantly, the Soul Dew.

His grin widened as he tied the bag back up. "That kid did okay. He really wants his Vulpix back. Maybe I ought to keep having him do some things for us a little while longer."

As he walked down the road, a bolt of electricity stopped him. Out of the dust, he saw a boy with silver hair emerge with a Pikachu on his shoulder. "What do you think you're doing, kid? Get out of my way."

Ayden crossed his arms and glared at the grunt. "So, you're the one making all the threats to Jin. Sorry, but your fun ends now."

The grunt stared at Ayden for a moment then laughed. "And who might you be, kid? Whoever you are, you picked the wrong person to mess with. I'm Chaos Senior Grunt Brandon, and I'm on my way to a promotion with the completion of this mission. So, as soon as I eliminate you, I'm on my way. But first things first. That little brat broke his agreement with me. He told you about this and asked you for help, didn't he? Let's see how he likes this."

He pulled his cell phone out and punched in a number when a bolt of electricity shot it out of his hand and destroyed it.

Piik stood in front of Ayden, ready to shoot another attack at his command.

Ayden stood with his arms cross. "Looks like you won't be making anymore commands with that phone either. This is as far as you go."

Brandon clenched his fists as he pulled a pokéball out. "I'm getting really irritated with you, kid! That does it! No one messes with me and gets away with it! Rhyhorn, get out here and take care of this brat!"

Rhyhorn popped out of the pokéball and landed on the ground. The force of its landing shook the earth. Ayden stared at its low scaly body and met its small beady eyes. They glared back all the while clawing at the earth and snorting like a rhino.

Ayden wondered the quickest way to take it down. He thought about using Heracross, but given how timid he was, one look at Rhyhorn and he'd just pass out.

He pulled out a pokéball and threw it. "Spearow, let's go!"

Spearow popped out and soared into the sky. He doubled back and landed in front of Ayden.

Brandon took one look at Spearow and laughed. "You can't be serious, kid! You're gonna fight my Rhyhorn with a Spearow? Do you even know what you're doing?"

Ayden lightly smiled. "I wouldn't underestimate this Spearow if I were you. It has too much pride to lose to a Rhyhorn as poorly trained as that."

Brandon scoffed. "We'll see about that. Rhyhorn, Take Down!"

Rhyhorn roared and charged straight toward Spearow. Each step it took shook the earth with amazing force.

"Spearow, take to the sky and use Sand Attack!"

Spearow did as ordered and launched several blows of sand at Rhyhorn. Rhyhorn simply brushed the sand out of the way. When its vision cleared up, Spearow disappeared.

Brandon scanned the area as fast as he could looking for Spearow. "Dammit, where'd that bird go?"

Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "Spearow, use Leer followed up with Pursuit!"

As Rhyhorn looked aimlessly around for him, Spearow appeared right in front of it and gave it an intimidating glare. Rhyhorn took a few steps backward and Spearow launched his second attack knocking it back even further.

Brandon froze in awe. His Rhyhorn, who won him his current rank, was being kicked around by this brat? An upstart? He couldn't allow it, not when his promotion relied on the completion of this mission. "Rhyhorn, shake it off! This isn't over! Don't let this little punk get the better of you! Don't you even think for a second of losing to him! Use Rock Slide and make certain you hit it!"

Rhyhorn stomped the ground and dozens of boulders emerged from the earth and soared toward Spearow.

Ayden furrowed his brow as the attack approached Spearow. "Spearow, dodge it with Agility!"

Spearow disappeared and reappeared several times as he dodged the oncoming rocks.

Brandon clenched his teeth and balled his hands. "Rhyhorn, use Smack Down and get that damn bird out of the air!"

Rhyhorn took its paw and slammed the ground. A rock soon emerged from the earth and zoomed at Spearow, hitting him in the wing. Spearow fell straight to the ground in front of Rhyhorn. Rhyhorn took its paw and held Spearow to the ground. Spearow struggled against Rhyhorn's grip, but couldn't break free.

Brandon smiled and his eyes widened fiendishly. "Excellent work, Rhyhorn! Now, use Rock Blast!"

Rhyhorn opened its mouth and a boulder formed. Rhyhorn launched the boulder, hitting Spearow point blank. Spearow squawked in pain as Rhyhorn performed the same attack two more times. After the third hit, Rhyhorn removed its paw and Spearow remained motionless on the ground. Ayden called out to him, but he didn't respond. Brandon laughed at Spearow's predicament.

His eyes now wide with psychotic pride. "Did you honestly think you stood a chance with that little piece of crap? My Rhyhorn has won me plenty of battles and it's gotten me this rank as well! There isn't a pokémon out there that can take my Rhyhorn down easily!"

Spearow took in heavy breaths as he laid on the ground. To think those attacks would be enough to leave him in such a state. He didn't know if he had any strength left.

Ayden clenched his fists as he watched Spearow seemingly take in the defeat. He knew Spearow had the power to defeat him, he just needed to get Spearow back in the game. "Spearow! Get up! You can't let them beat you! I know you're stronger than they are! You're too proud to lose to anyone! You're the leader of the flock, remember? What would the others say if they saw you like this? If you don't want them to think you're weak, get up and win this fight!"

Piik jumped in and called out to him as well.

Their words reached Spearow and he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up and saw the smug look on Rhyhorn's face. He couldn't stand that look. Everything about him made him want to beat him up even further. He slowly pushed himself back onto its feet. He staggered for a moment, but finally stood back up to full height.

He looked at Rhyhorn as it still gave the same smug grin. That served only to make him angrier. Spearow spread his wings and squawked. His eyes turned white and his entire body followed as well. Spearow's entire body grew larger until it evolved into Fearow.

Ayden and Piik stood amazed at what they saw. His wings grew broader and more powerful. His neck became vulturine and his beak grew longer and sharper. Fearow stood ready to take Rhyhorn down.

Brandon took a step back, astonished that Rhyhorn's Rock Blast didn't finish it. He looked closer at Fearow and noticed his heavy breathing.

He grinned. Fearow already had one foot in the grave. One more attack would end it. "Rhyhorn, take it out! Smack Down!"

Rhyhorn raised its paw and slammed the ground with tremendous power that shook the earth.

"Fearow, Agility!"

Fearow flapped his wings and disappeared just as the boulder appeared. Fearow reappeared in the sky way out of Rhyhorn's reach.

Brandon clicked his tongue. "We'll get that bird to come down. Rhyhorn, Rock Slide!"

Rhyhorn stomped the ground and launched several boulders toward Fearow. Fearow dove straight into the rubble and dodged them all heading straight for Rhyhorn. In range, Fearow's wings turned white then into metal. He swooped down and struck Rhyhorn right in the head, knocking it on its back.

Ayden smiled in amazement. Upon evolving, Fearow had learned to use Steel Wing. That's all they needed to turn the tide of the match.

Brandon stomped the ground in frustration. "Rhyhorn, what are you doing? Get back up right now and finish this brat off!"

As Rhyhorn staggered to get up, Ayden seized the opportunity. "Fearow, climb back up and end this with Steel Wing!"

Fearow soared into the air and dove down toward Rhyhorn. His wings became metal again as it charged toward it.

Sweat fell down Brandon's brow as Fearow approached Rhyhorn. He had to stop the attack. He just had to hit it one more time. "Rhyhorn, Rock Blast!"

Rhyhorn opened its mouth and fired another boulder at Fearow. Fearow effortlessly dodged it and slammed into Rhyhorn with everything he had. When the dust cleared, Fearow stood in front of Ayden while Rhyhorn fainted.

Brandon clenched his fists. He recalled Rhyhorn and picked up the bag of stones. He ran down the dirt road only to be met with a sharp bolt of electricity. His body tingled until he fell over unconscious.

Ayden ran up to Fearow as he spread his wings in victory. The exhaustion hit him and he fell backward into Ayden's arms. He looked up and saw Ayden smiling down on him. "Fearow, great job as always. You were absolutely amazing. You deserve a nice long rest."

Fearow nodded as he returned to his pokéball. Ayden stood up and realized he had a lot to carry back. Suddenly, he heard a noise from within the bushes. He shifted through the foliage until he found a Vulpix locked in a wired cage.

Ayden unhooked the cables and released the Vulpix. "Hey, you're Jin's Vulpix, aren't you?" Vulpix perked up when she heard Jin's name. Ayden smiled. "I'm here to take you back to him. Come on, he's waiting for you."

Ayden extended his hand and Vulpix stared at it unable to determine if she should trust him. She looked up at his face and then at Piik who gave her a reassuring nod. Vulpix nodded back and she walked out and hopped into his arms.

* * *

The sun just rose over the city. Shop owners reluctantly opened their stores and others held out "Closed" signs. Officer Jenny stood in front of the police station and repeatedly checked her watch. She received a tip from Ayden about the thief and he said he would meet her by 05:00. Her watch read 05:30.

One member of her squad came out and addressed her. "Ma'am, maybe we should go and check things out ourselves."

Jenny shook her head. "No. I know he's late, but for some reason, I believe in this young man. We'll wait a little while longer." Suddenly, she saw a figure moving slowly toward the city. She and her squad ran up to him and gasped when they saw Ayden carrying a large bag and a Heracross dragging the Team Chaos member wrapped in the cables he used for Vulpix's cage. "Ayden, what's all this?"

Ayden dropped the bag and opened it revealing all the stones. "These are all the stones that were stolen and I have here your thief."

Brandon squirmed against the electric cables. "What are you talking about? I'm not the thief! It's that museum kid! He's the one who stole all these stones!"

Ayden snapped his fingers and Piik shot another bolt of electricity at him. When Brandon fainted, Ayden looked up at Jenny. "Officer Jenny, Jin only did that because this guy blackmailed him. He was trying to save his Vulpix. Please, I ask that you don't punish Jin for this."

Ayden bowed hoping Jenny would forgive Jin.

Jenny thought it over and smiled. "Don't worry. Sounds like everything was taken care of. My little sister was right about you. You really are something else, Ayden. We'll be taking this guy in and we won't punish Jin for this."

Ayden smiled. "Thank you, Officer Jenny. Also, could you please not tell the other store owners about this as well?"

Jenny nodded and gave him a thumbs up. "Everything will be fine." She went back inside and made an announcement throughout the city. "Attention citizens of Pewter City! Attention citizens of Pewter City! I'm happy to report we have the thief in custody! All of your stones are safe back at the station! I repeat! We have the thief in custody! Please pick up your belongings at the station!"

Ayden watched as the city clambered over to the police station. With the Soul Dew and Vulpix in hand, he made his way back to the museum.

* * *

Jin sat in the living room thinking about what just happened. Ayden said he had a plan and to trust him, but he just couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling. He looked up and saw Maxwell and the girls still fast asleep. He'd been sitting quietly by the door, anxiously awaiting Ayden to return.

He then heard three soft knocks at the door. His heart skipped a beat. Ayden told him to listen for three knocks at the door. He opened the door slightly and saw Ayden. It took him a second to realize he had the Soul Dew and Vulpix in his arms. He couldn't believe it. She made it out safely. Vulpix jumped out of Ayden's arms and into Jin's.

He dropped to his knees and gave Vulpix a hug. "I can't believe it! Vulpix, I'm so happy you're okay! I'm so sorry I put you through all that. Can you forgive me?"

Vulpix licked him on the cheek and nuzzled up to him. Jin looked up at Ayden. "Ayden, how did you…?"

Ayden raised his hands to cut him off and handed him the Soul Dew. "I believe this is yours."

Jin took it, smiled, and gave a nod. Tears fell down his face as he tried to find the words to say. "Ayden… I… I… don't know… how to… thank you."

Ayden shook his head. "No problem. You better get that back in its case before your dad wakes up."

Jin nodded and wiped away his tears. "Yeah, it would be really bad if he found out I was the thief."

He suddenly felt a dark menacing aura behind him. He turned around and saw Maxwell standing over him with a very displeased look.

"What's this, Jin? You mean to tell me you were the thief this entire time! How could you do this to me? To our family? To the city? I trusted you to keep everything safe and you were stealing from everyone!"

His voice woke Mendy and Nami. They stirred and wondered what happened.

Jin backed up a few steps as Maxwell's anger rose. "Wait, Dad, I can explain! You see, it all started when I was taking a break out at Route 3 and-,"

Maxwell raised his voice and threw his arms into the air. "I don't want to hear your excuses! You betrayed my trust and the honor of our family!" Ayden stepped forward and called out to Maxwell. He looked at Ayden and calmed down. "What is it, Ayden? I'm sorry, but this is family matters."

Ayden nodded. "I understand, but please hear Jin out. I know what he did was wrong, but he had a good reason."

Maxwell looked at Ayden then back at Jin. "Fine. What do you have to say for yourself, Jin?"

Jin told him everything while they sat down in the living room. "And that's why, I want to become a Pokémon Watcher. I love pokémon and I want to study them in their natural habitats. I know this isn't what you want of me, but I have to follow what I believe in. Please understand."

Maxwell sat thinking and taking everything in. He scratched his beard then smiled. "Go on then, my boy."

Jin looked at him in surprise. "Really? You mean it?"

Maxwell nodded. "You were willing to risk everything for the sake of a friend and your dreams. In my book, that's just the kind of attitude a young dependable man should have. If it's your dream to become a Watcher, then who am I to stand in your way?"

Jin didn't know what to say. He just wiped away his tears and bowed his head. "Thank you, Dad. I'll be the best Pokémon Watcher ever."

Maxwell stood up. "You better! I don't want anything less from any son of mine! Now then, to celebrate the capture of the thief, I'm going to throw a huge breakfast. You all freshen up and come back down."

* * *

The most lavish breakfast feast they ever seen awaited them on the dining room table. As everyone partook of the food, Mendy and Nami looked at each other and back at Ayden.

Nami took a bite of her toast in irritation. "I can't believe we fell asleep and he caught the thief. We missed everything. Of all the people to catch the thief, why did it have to be him?"

Mendy sighed. "I know, right? Doesn't seem fair."

Ayden took a bite of his eggs before Jin tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Ayden, I was wondering if it was okay if I went with you on your journey."

Ayden glanced at him. "You know I'll probably run into more of those guys from Team Chaos again. You sure you want to tag along?"

Jin nodded. "Yeah, I do. I want to make them pay for what they did to Vulpix, and make sure that what happened to me doesn't happen to anyone else. I also want to pay you back for all you did."

Ayden saw his determination and knew he couldn't talk him out of it. "All right. If you're okay with it, I don't have a problem with it."

Maxwell smiled. "Then it's settled. I'm glad you're able to travel with your friends, Jin. If you'd like, I could help you pack."

Jin nodded. "That sounds great. Thanks, Dad."

Maxwell nodded. "And Ayden. Thank you for helping my boy. You're truly an amazing young fellow."

Piik jumped on Ayden's head and smiled in agreement, causing them to laugh.


	6. Ayden vs Brock

**CHAPTER 6**

The afternoon grew humid as the group relaxed in the Pokémon Center cafeteria. As they sat down and ate, they got the opportunity to get to know each other better.

Mendy slurped up her ramen and then leaned back in her seat. "Ah, yeah, that one really hit the spot. So, Jin, a Pokémon Watcher, huh? That's sounds really cool."

Jin took a swig of his drink and nodded. "Yeah, it's amazing what you learn about pokémon when they're in their natural habitat. Just thinking about it gets me excited. I wonder what new kinds of pokémon there are in the world."

Nami bit into her hamburger and spoke while she chewed. "I heard scientists say there are over seven hundred pokémon out there. I can't imagine there being anymore."

Jin finished chewing and swallowed. "To me, that just means there are more pokémon to find and observe. So, Mendy, what's your dream? Why are you on a journey?"

Mendy froze at the question. She thought for a moment, before setting her chopsticks down. "I… I want to be a gym leader that specializes in water-types. I want to learn as much as I can about them and become a strong gym leader like Misty."

Nami gave her a solemn glance. She knew that look on Mendy's face. While true Mendy wanted to become a gym leader, but other reasons played a more significant role for her journey as well.

Jin smiled. "A gym leader, huh? Now that's really amazing. Meeting all kinds of people and getting to know different battling styles."

Mendy nodded. She smiled at his approval of her dream, but wished they moved off the subject.

As if she read her mind, Nami stepped in. "Yeah, and we were doing quite fine on our journey until a certain _someone_ stole and destroyed a bike."

They all looked at Ayden as he kept to himself, quietly eating his meal while lost in his thoughts.

Jin looked at the three and even though he hadn't known them that long, the friction between them could easily be recognized. However, given all Ayden had done for him, he couldn't imagine him being as bad as they claimed.

"Well, Ayden, how about you? What are your future plans? You mentioned you were going to the Pewter City Gym, right? So that means you plan on participating in the Pokémon League tournament?"

Ayden placed his silverware down and nodded. "Yeah, that's my goal."

Nami snickered and Jin gave her a confused look. "What's so funny?"

Nami regained her composure. "Sorry, I had to laugh at that. The thought of this guy participating in the League is hilarious. He wouldn't stand a chance. Although, it would be quite entertaining to see him get his butt handed to him."

Mendy clamped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. She had to admit, watching Ayden get taken down a few pegs sounded like a worthwhile spectacle.

Nami leaned back in her chair. "Not only is the tournament filled to the brim with high-level trainers, you first have to fight your way through eight gyms and earn their badges in order to even qualify; and I bet he can't even get a single badge for it either."

Jin turned his gaze from Ayden, who nonchalantly chewed his food, back to the girls. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "Come on, guys. Ayden's better than that. He managed to bring back all the stones for the city, remember? I bet he'll do great in the League."

Nami yawned. "So what? He beat one thug. We're talking about the Kanto Region Gym Leaders. These are the top trainers in their field. They've perfected their craft in order to put the skills of their challengers to the ultimate test. Not just anyone can defeat them and claim their badges."

Ayden finished his meal and then left the cafeteria without saying a word. As soon as he did, Mendy got up and followed him.

When they both turned the corner out of the cafeteria, Jin turned to Nami. "Okay, don't you guys think you're being a little unfair to the guy? I mean, yeah, he stole your bike, but he had to save his pokémon. Wouldn't you have done the same?"

Nami took a bite of her hamburger and spoke in between chewing. "It's more than that. You have no idea what that bike meant to Mendy. It might seem materialistic and maybe even a little childish, but that bike… was freedom to her."

* * *

Mendy followed Ayden into the lobby where he retrieved his pokémon from Joy. After he placed his pokémon on his belt and Piik hopped onto his shoulder, he made his way for the exit. Mendy followed taking extra care not to let him out of her sight.

The moment she stepped outside; the most beautiful ray of sunlight she'd ever witnessed shined on her face. The hues meshed together in such a perfect fashion; she almost forgot the reason she was there. She looked around and saw Ayden turn a corner. She followed him all the way to the back of the Center. There she found a battle arena, a spacious area chalked out with two box ends for the participants and a larger arena for the pokémon to battle.

Mendy walked around keeping a close eye on Ayden to see what he planned to do all the way out here. She saw him reach for his belt, pull two pokéballs out, and then toss them into the air.

The pokéballs burst open and out of the blinding light came a Fearow and a Heracross.

Mendy took a look at his arsenal then crossed her arms. "You can't be serious! Do you even know what you're doing? You do realize the Pewter City Gym leader uses rock and ground-type pokémon, right? How do you plan on facing off against him with electric, flying, and bug types?"

Ayden stood without saying a word. It's true, with his current arsenal, winning against rock and ground types would prove to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. However, he had a plan for these two.

Mendy walked toward him. "You know, at first I only laughed because what Nami said was pretty funny at the time, but now I know she was spot on. You're an idiot if you think for a second you have a chance at beating the leader with these." Piik's ear twitched at the word 'idiot'. "For all your brooding and silent attitude, you're nothing but a kid who thinks the world should hand him everything on a silver platter. Take it from someone who's been traveling longer than you-,"

At that moment, a bolt of electricity shot past her cheek. It didn't make contact, but Mendy could feel the power behind the attack. The static alone tingled her entire body.

Piik positioned herself for another attack. Her fur stood up and she bore her fangs. She couldn't forgive this girl for making fun of her master.

"Calm down, Piik." Piik turned to Ayden, wondering why he wouldn't let her fry this girl. "Like I said, don't waste your energy on her. Save it for a worthy opponent."

At his words, Piik simmered down and walked away.

Mendy could barely keep her rage in. She'd put up with his cocky attitude for far too long. She pulled a pokéball out and held it up. "A worthy opponent, huh? Fine, if that's how you want it, then let's go! I challenge you! If you're not a coward, then fight me!"

Ayden stared at her. He knew she only had water types. If they fought, there wouldn't be any doubt she'd lose. "You realize you don't have a chance of winning, right?"

Mendy tightened her grip on her pokéball and clenched her teeth.

"I don't care if you have a type advantage! I'm gonna prove to you I'm a worthy opponent and knock you off your high horse right here and now! Go, Squirtle!"

She tossed her pokéball and it burst open revealing a small light blue turtle pokémon with a brown shell and a tail that curved inward.

Ayden stared at his opposition and heaved a sigh. There didn't seem to be any point in trying to convince her. Might as well get it over with. "Piik, come on. Let's go."

Piik had been waiting for that command. She immediately stepped onto the field and charged her cheeks. She was going to end this in one move.

Mendy gulped down her nerves when Piik stepped out. She knew what Piik was capable of, but this is what she wanted, a chance to show this jerk and his Pikachu she wasn't a pushover. No matter how big of an advantage he had, she had to win this. "All right, Squirtle, this is going to be a rough one, but I know you can do it! Let's get in there and win!"

Squirtle nodded then turned to his opponent. When his eyes gazed upon Piik, they grew wider, mesmerized by what he saw. Never had there been a pokémon more beautiful that this Pikachu. Her coat glistened in the setting sun as though tiny diamonds had been imbedded in her fur. Her unusual blue cheeks complimented her fierce and determined green eyes. Even the slight chip on the end of her ear took his breath away. He couldn't take it anymore. Squirtle straightened up and walked toward Piik with a large smile.

Mendy looked at him walk over to her. "Uh, Squirtle, what are you doing?"

Squirtle got down on one knee and extended his hand to her. Piik stopped charging her cheeks and stared at him in confusion. Squirtle gazed longingly at Piik and spoke in a deep smooth tone. He had never seen any other pokémon like her before. She exemplified beauty.

Piik raised an eyebrow then shook her head. She didn't have time for this idiot's speech. She had a battle to win. She charged up her cheeks again, but stopped when Squirtle placed his hand under her chin.

To Squirtle, her wanting to battle simply meant she wanted to distract herself. He had a responsibility to show this angelic electric goddess the joys of love.

Piik blushed and sweat fell down her face like a waterfall as he leaned in for a kiss. His lips inched closer and closer to her. She had to stop him. She shot an attack, shocking him stiff. While he reeled from the shock, she wound up and slapped him across the cheek with her tail.

Squirtle placed his hand to his cheek then looked at Piik. After a minute of staring, he dropped his shoulders and smiled. Her beauty, her fierce attacks, her strength, he couldn't ask for anything better. He simply loved the hard-to-get types. He threw his arms into the air and chased her around the arena.

Mendy face-palmed. She couldn't believe this happened again. She took her pokéball out and ordered Squirtle back. When he returned, she heaved a sigh. "Well, that was embarrassing."

Piik heaved in breaths. She shivered as the image of Squirtle replayed in her mind. Just the thought of him touching her again struck fear into her heart.

"Piik, return!"

She perked up when she heard his voice. She ran up to him and climbed up onto his shoulders.

Ayden petted her on the head as she relaxed. "Are you okay, Piik?"

She couldn't have been happier. With the way he ran his fingers through her fur, all her thoughts seemed to melt away.

Mendy heaved a sigh in frustration. She just had to have the one squirtle in the entire world that fell in love at the first sight of a female pokémon. It didn't even matter what kind of pokémon either. "Come on, Squirtle, really? Of all the times for you to act like this, you choose now?"

She placed her pokéball back in her bag then looked up at Ayden and Piik. The way they interacted with each other seemed like a complete one-eighty from what she usually saw. She'd never seen Piik smile like that before or Ayden as playful. She dropped her shoulders and made her way back to the Center.

When she walked inside, she saw Nami waiting for her in the lobby. "Hey, where did you disappear to?"

Mendy shook her head and walked past her. "Nowhere."

* * *

Night soon fell and the group retreated into one of the guest bedrooms. Mendy tossed and turned as she slept on the lower bunk from Nami's. She couldn't get Ayden's words out of her head. The word 'worthy' kept repeating itself over and over again. Her dream led her to a space where darkness surrounded her. Suddenly, the word 'worthy' filled her head. She tried to cover her ears, but the sound had already invaded her head. It kept repeating itself calling her 'unworthy', 'not worthy', or 'worthless'.

She ran, trying to outrun the noise, the pressure. She had no idea where the darkness led, she just knew she had to get away from all of it. She ran for what seem liked miles, and still the darkness surrounded her. Soon, a bike appeared. She ran to it and nearly broke into tears. She couldn't believe it. Her bike, her freedom, had come to save her from all the noise, all the pressure, everything.

As soon as she touched it, it caught fire and turned into a pile of burnt metal. She dropped to her knees, horrified at the charred remains of her precious bike. Her ticket out had been destroyed. She had nowhere to go now. She cried until she felt someone appear behind her. She turned in time to see a large cane swoop down and strike her.

The moment it connected; she sprang up breathing heavily. Beads of sweat fell down her brow as she looked around the room and saw Jin and Nami were still sound asleep. She soon calmed down and took in even breaths as she made her way to the bathroom.

She washed her face as thoroughly as she could, hoping to wash away all the thoughts about the dream. She looked in the mirror and frowned as the dream still plagued her mind. She shook her head and reminded herself she chose to do this. She knew what she wanted to do and this had to be done.

She walked back to her bed when she suddenly saw something fly by the window. She ran over and saw Ayden's Fearow fly toward a boulder. His wings turned into metal and he struck the boulder leaving only pebbles.

She then saw Heracross run up to another boulder and strike it with his fists. The boulder cracked, but remained intact. Ayden walked up to Heracross and showed him how to position his strikes. He mimicked Ayden's every move and struck the boulder again. The boulder blew away leaving nothing but dust.

Mendy stood awestruck. She couldn't believe what she saw. She never imagined he'd still be practicing with his pokémon even at this hour. He showed them what they needed to improve on and how to best go about their attacks to bring out the maximum output.

She watched them for a little while longer before returning to bed. Her thoughts seemed a bit clearer than before. If someone like him could push himself that hard to achieve something, then she could do it too.

* * *

The next day, the group made their way to the Pewter City Gym, a stone building with two large steel doors. Ayden stood in front of the establishment and lightly smiled. It took a while, but he finally made it to his first official gym, his first stop to gaining entry into the Pokémon League.

He turned to Piik who rode on his shoulders. "This is it, Piik. Our first gym. Let's win this with everything we've got."

Piik pumped her fist into the air in excitement.

Jin placed his hand on Ayden's free shoulder. "Good luck, Ayden. We'll be on the sidelines cheering you on, right guys?"

He turned to the girls, but Mendy didn't reply and Nami had her arms crossed and wore a smug grin. "Please, I'm only here to see this jerk get his butt handed to him. Maybe then that attitude of his will get knocked down a few pegs. Am I right, Mendy?"

She nudged her in the side and Mendy gave her a slight nod. As much as she wanted to agree with Nami, the way she saw Ayden interact with his pokémon last night, she didn't think he would be defeated so easily.

Ayden opened the doors and they all walked inside. Darkness shrouded the room. The group looked around, but couldn't see any light switches or anyone else. Suddenly, the steel doors closed behind them leaving them completely in the dark.

Mendy and Nami huddled closer to each other. "What's going on here?"

Nami shook her head. "I don't know, but this is too weird."

After a moment, a voice pierced through the darkness. "Who goes there?" A light flicked on and the group turned to see a person at the opposite end of the gym sitting on a stone pedestal. The person stood up and walked toward the group. He was of average height and had a slim build. He had short spiky brown hair, tan skin, and his eyes appeared to be closed. "I am Brock, the Pewter City Gym leader. Which one of you has come to challenge me?"

Ayden took a step forward. "I have. I'm Ayden from Viridian City. I've come to challenge you for a Boulder Badge."

Brock nodded. "Very well. This will be an official Pokémon League Gym battle. The rules applied here will be much different than what you're used to."

Ayden nodded back. "I'm well aware. Just tell me the rules of the match and let's get started."

Brock grinned. "Confident, are we? We'll see how long you can keep that up. Those accompanying the challenger may wait up on the balcony. I don't want any accidents to occur while the match is underway."

The rest of the group took Brock's offer and made their way up a flight of stairs.

As soon as they all stood looking over the edge of the balcony, Jin called out Vulpix and held her close. "See, Vulpix? Ayden's about to have his first gym battle. Let's cheer him on so he can win, All right?"

Vulpix smiled and nodded while joyfully wagging her six tails.

Nami put her hands on the railings of the balcony and leaned forward. "You can cheer until you're blue in the face, there's no way that jerk's gonna beat Brock. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he loses."

Mendy looked at Nami then down at Ayden. She wanted to agree with her, but after last night, after watching him work so hard with his pokémon and helping them improve, a part of her wanted him to win.

Brock snapped his fingers and the floor began to move, replacing the smooth hardwood flooring with a battlefield littered with jagged rocks and large boulders. Just as Ayden thought, each gym had been designed to give the leader's pokémon a specific edge in battle.

He turned his attention to Brock as he explained the rules. "This will be a two-on-two battle with no time limit. When both of either side's pokémon are unable to continue, that person loses. However, only the challenger is allowed to substitute pokémon. Any questions before we begin?"

Ayden shook his head. "I'm ready when you are."

Brock pulled out his first pokéball and threw it. "Then let's begin. Go, Geodude!"

Geodude popped out of the pokéball and landed with a hard thud.

Jin cupped his hands over his mouth and cheered. "You can do it, Ayden! You got this!"

Nami did the same. "Come on, Brock! You can beat this jerk! Show him the power of the Kanto Gym leaders! Kick his butt!"

Their yelling quickly filled the room, but Ayden blocked them out and focused all his attention on Geodude. He could tell Brock took extra care of it.

He lightly smiled, picked up a pokéball, and threw it. "Heracross, let's go!"

Heracross appeared and turned to face Geodude. The moment he laid eyes on Geodude's menacing expression, a chill fell down his back. All the strength he had for the battle left him. He found the nearest boulder and hid behind it.

Ayden dropped his shoulders. He almost forgot Heracross does fine when practicing, but loses his nerve when faced with actual competition.

Nami burst into laughter. Her voice resonated throughout the gym. "This is turning out even better than I'd hoped! His pokémon is too scared to battle! This is freaking hilarious!"

Jin turned his attention from Nami to Ayden and Heracross. "Don't listen to her, Heracross! You can do it!"

Heracross didn't budge from his spot. He knew he had been practicing and Ayden told him how difficult it would be, but that Geodude looked way too scary. It looked like it could squeeze the life out of him with those large rocky hands.

Nami laughed harder. She banged on the railing and held her stomach. She couldn't breathe and her eyes teared up. She'd never seen anything so hilarious.

"Heracross!" The gym fell silent as Ayden's voiced boomed throughout. Nami stopped laughing and all the attention fell on Ayden. Heracross stopped shaking and turned to look at him. "There's nothing to be afraid of! There's only one opponent in front of you! You want to change and show the world you can be brave, right? Then face your fears and show everyone what you're made of!"

Heracross stared at Ayden and then remembered why he decided to go with him in the first place. He wanted to get stronger. He wanted to change. If defeating this menacing looking boulder led to that goal, then he had to do it. He made a promise and he had to keep it.

He nodded and jumped out from behind the boulder to face Geodude.

Brock crossed his arms. "Looks like it's finally decided to get serious. If you're ready then let the battle begin! Geodude, Tackle attack!"

Geodude charged toward Heracross.

"Heracross, Endure!"

Heracross planted its feet into the ground and braced itself for the attack. Geodude rushed in and slammed Heracross only to be stopped after moving him back a couple of feet.

"Heracross, use Brick Break!"

Heracross took hold of one of Geodude's arms and charged his other hand for the attack.

Brock grinned. "Too naïve. Geodude, Sand Attack!"

With its free hand, Geodude dug into the ground then threw sand into Heracross' eyes. Heracross let go of Geodude and stepped back to try and get the sand out.

"Perfect, Geodude, now Tackle attack!"

Geodude built up its speed and rammed into Heracross, launching him backward into a boulder.

Nami threw her hands into the air in celebration. "Woohoo! Way to go, Geodude! That's showin 'em!"

Jin and Vulpix decided they needed to up their cheering too. "Come on, Heracross! You can do it! Get up and take 'em down!"

Mendy stood between Nami and Jin unable to decide what to do. She wanted to root with Nami, but something bothered her. Something she couldn't explain. She looked over at Ayden and saw him calmly standing with his arms crossed, watching the match as if he knew what would happen. Her eyes widened as a thought crossed her mind. Could he have planned this the entire time? She shook her head, telling herself he couldn't have planned each and every scenario that far ahead. It was impossible.

Ayden took a deep breath and spoke calmly. "Heracross, you doing okay? Can you keep going?" Heracross staggered to get up and still tried to get the sand out of his eyes, but to no avail. He couldn't see a foot in front of him. "Heracross, remember what I told you. Stay calm and wait for your opponent. You're a timid fighter. It's not your style to rush in and attack first. Wait for your opponent to make the first move then strike it down."

Heracross calmed down after hearing his words. He dropped his shoulders and listened for Geodude to move.

Brock took notice and uncrossed his arms. "Don't underestimate my Geodude. We don't have to be up close to do damage. Geodude, Rock Throw!"

Geodude raised its arms and a blue aura engulfed its body. Several boulders rose off the ground as though Geodude psychically commanded them and then it hurled the boulders toward Heracross.

Nami leaned further on the railing. She'd been waiting for this, the moment Ayden lost.

Heracross stood still as the boulders rained down on him. At the last minute, Heracross spread its wings and made a beeline for Geodude, dodging each boulder perfectly.

Brock and Geodude stood stunned at what they saw. They couldn't stop Heracross. Geodude had already launched its attack, he couldn't cancel it out now.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Heracross, Brick Break!"

Heracross hardened his hand and struck Geodude in the face with everything it had, sending it flying out of the stadium and into the back wall of the gym.

Mendy's eyes widened in shock. The way Heracross attacked Geodude was the same move Ayden showed him last night. The move that reduced the boulder to dust.

Geodude landed on the floor and rolled to Brock's feet. He looked down at his defeated pokémon and recalled it. "Nicely done, Geodude, you deserve a good rest."

He looked up at Ayden who gave a grin and nodded at Heracross. He reached for his pokéball and recalled it. "Heracross, you did great. Rest up. You've earned it."

Jin's cheering erupted throughout the entire gym. "Yeah! That's the way, Heracross! Way to go! Man, did you see that, Vulpix? Ayden was so calm throughout that entire thing! It was so cool!"

Nami pounded the railing with her fist. "Dang it! That jerk lucked out! Can't believe he got away with that!"

Mendy looked at Nami then back at Ayden. Somehow, she felt luck had nothing to do with it. Ayden knew what to do and kept a clear head despite all the ruckus they made. She started to wonder if he could really be that good.

Brock got his second pokéball ready. "I must admit, that was a very surprising turnaround you pulled off. I'm impressed. However, you won't have it so easy with this next one. Go, Onix!"

Onix emerged and shook the entire gym when it landed. Jin and the girls tightened their grips on the railing trying not to fall over. Mendy looked up in awe at the size of Onix's body. The snake, made entirely out of boulders, was twice the size of a normal Onix. She looked down at Ayden to see how he felt against this behemoth of an opponent.

Ayden stood still and focused, never losing his footing throughout the shaking. He had no reason to. He had one more win before he got the badge. Nothing else mattered.

Brock crossed his arms and his smile widened. It had been a long time since he'd been this excited. Which pokémon will he surprise him with this time? A water-type? A grass-type? He had to have saved a very special pokémon for the second round if he recalled Heracross already.

Ayden pulled out his second pokéball. "Fearow, let's end this!"

Fearow popped out and soared into the air. It made a few laps around the gym before landing in front of Ayden.

Brock and the others stared at Ayden's choice, too flabbergasted to make a remark.

Brock clenched his hands in irritation. "Are you trying to insult me? You think just because you won the first round, you can get away with just anything? Don't mock me!"

Ayden stared at Brock. "Let me make one thing clear, I'm not here to mock you. I'm not here to show off. I'm here to earn a badge and qualify for the Pokémon League. I'm here to push my pokémon past their limits and make them leave the match stronger than when they entered. Don't think, just because I'm giving you a type advantage, you're being insulted. This Fearow is more powerful than you can realize, and I'll show you that power right now. Fearow, Agility!"

Fearow zipped around Onix's head with blinding speed. Onix tried to follow, but couldn't keep up.

Brock clicked his teeth. "Fine then! Onix, Sandstorm!"

Onix lifted its head and a tornado of sand emerged from the ground forcing Fearow to back away. As the sandstorm raged, the sand buffeted Fearow violently.

"Fearow, counter the storm with Whirlwind!"

Fearow flapped its wings and created its own tornado. The wind swept through the gym and made its way toward the balcony. Jin and the girls held onto the railing as it swayed violently.

Nami wrapped her arm around the railing as the wind lifted her body. "This is ridiculous! He says he didn't want any accidents during the match, yet we're in the line of fire more than they are!"

The two tornadoes clashed and canceled each other out. When the wind and sand stopped, Onix had disappeared. All signs of Onix had vanished save for a large gaping hole in the middle of the field.

Fearow looked around for it, but couldn't find it. The entire gym shook and spread evenly throughout the field, Onix could appear from anywhere. Suddenly, it emerged and tried to catch Fearow in its mouth.

Fearow evaded in the nick of time, but Onix knocked it out of the air with its tail, sending it crashing to the gym floor.

Brock grinned. He had him. "Onix, Rock Throw!"

Onix roared as a blue aura enveloped its body. The boulders around it levitated then sailed toward Fearow. Fearow looked back just in time to see them fall on top of him.

The entire gym fell silent as they gazed at the pile of boulders in the middle of the floor.

Nami's eyes widened as she leaned forward on the balcony. "He did it? He did it! Way to go, Brock! That's one down!"

Jin's smile soon turned into a sorrowful frown. "Ah, man, can't believe Fearow got taken out."

Brock crossed his arms as he gazed at the boulders. "Perhaps we should call it quits. I honestly don't want to hurt your pokémon. However, did you really think a flying-type could-?"

He paused as the pile of rocks shook. Nami stopped cheering and she, Jin, and Mendy looked at the pile as the shaking intensified.

Ayden lightly smiled. "I told you, didn't I? Don't underestimate this Fearow."

The boulders blew away and Fearow shot into the air.

Jin threw his arm into the air and cheered as Fearow soared. "Woo! Go Fearow!"

Nami gritted her teeth. "Quit fooling around, Brock! Take him out already!"

Fearow circled the gym several times, keeping Onix well within his line of sight.

Brock clenched his fists. "But, how? How could it survive that attack?"

Ayden crossed his arms. "Take a good look at his wings." Brock looked up and saw Fearow's wings had metallized. "Right before Rock Throw hit, Fearow used Steel Wing and protected himself, minimizing the damage. Now, Fearow has the look in his eyes that says it wants to take Onix down no matter what. Fearow, Steel Wing!"

Fearow swooped down and soared toward Onix.

Brock gritted his teeth. "Onix, Iron Tail now!"

The tip of Onix's tail metallized and it swung to counter Fearow's attack. The combined force of the attacks sent shockwaves throughout the gym.

Jin, Mendy, and Nami held onto the railing with everything they had.

Fearow pushed against Onix's attack, but Onix added more pressure and sent Fearow flying to the back wall of the gym.

Brock grinned. His chance had finally come. "Onix, Slam!"

Onix glided across the floor with its sights set on taking Fearow out with its next attack.

"Fearow, Agility!"

Fearow opened his eyes in time to see Onix coming. Before its attack connected, Fearow disappeared from its sight. Fearow zipped around the gym, gaining distance from the snake-like pokémon.

Brock smiled. His heart rate accelerated. He hadn't had this much fun with a challenger in a long time. "I'm very impressed, Ayden. To think Fearow has that much fight left in him. However, it looks like he's reached his limit, and Onix still has plenty of energy to burn. Sorry, I'd hate to end the fun, but it looks like this round goes to me. Onix, Rock Throw!"

Onix's roared and launched several boulders toward Fearow.

Ayden focused his attention on Fearow and couldn't argue that he had reached his limit. Another attack would definitely take him out. He had to get Fearow to land one attack on Onix. He only had one shot. "Fearow, Steel Wing on the ground!"

Fearow flew to the floor and launched his attack. The collision formed a dust cloud that spread throughout the gym. Jin and the girls tried to see what happened, but the cloud blocked their vision of the field.

Nami slammed her fist against the railing. "Damn! Just when it was getting to the good part. Did Onix get Fearow or what?"

Brock scanned the area, but couldn't see the gym floor or Onix. He didn't even know if Fearow got hit by Rock Throw or not. Then a thought struck him. He realized what Ayden had planned. "Onix! Get away from Fearow now! Dive underground!"

"Fearow, Steel Wing!"

Onix attempted to burrow underground, only to be met with Fearow's attack. Onix reeled from the blow and fell to the gym floor. The collision shook the gym.

Sweat fell down Brock's brow as he heard Onix's cry. "Onix! Are you okay?"

"Fearow, let's end this with one more Steel Wing!"

Fearow flew back down and struck Onix again. The impact caused the dust to disperse. When all the dust had cleared, Onix lay sprawled on the gym floor while Fearow flew above it triumphantly.

Brock called out to it in shock while Jin and the girls stood mesmerized at the show. They all waited for Onix to move, but it never got up. With Onix out cold, Brock returned it to its pokéball. "Thank you, Onix, you were amazing. You deserve a long rest."

He looked up and saw Fearow land on the ground and spread his wings. He squawked and gestured that no one could take it down.

Ayden lightly smiled. All that extra training paid off, especially for Heracross, he did really well. "Fearow, great job. You deserve a rest." He recalled him to his pokéball and stared at it. "I'm really proud of you both. You two worked hard and you became stronger. Rest well."

Brock walked over to Ayden clapping his hands along the way. Jin and the girls turned their attention to him. "I can't remember a time when I lost both pokémon consecutively. You did well, Ayden. That was truly brilliant work. To cover the entire gym with dust and take full advantage of Fearow's Keen Eye ability was a stroke of genius. Now, as proof of your victory, here is the Boulder Badge." In the palm of his hand, he held a gray octagonal shaped pin. Ayden nodded and took it. "With that, I wish you the best of luck on the rest of your journey. Take care."

Ayden shook his hand and smiled.

Jin erupted in joyous glee. His voice echoed throughout the gym. "He did it! He did it! He did it! I knew he could do it! That was so awesome! I don't think I've ever seen a more brilliantly fought battle!"

Nami sunk onto the railing and blew some hair out of her eyes in annoyance. "How? How did he do it? It makes no sense. The least you could've done was defeat one of his pokémon, Brock! I mean he threw you a bone in the last round!"

Mendy shifted her attention from Nami back to Ayden. Even though she kind of wanted him to lose, she had a feeling this would happen. Seeing him work with his pokémon the night before, made her think there might be more to him than she originally thought.

Piik ran up Ayden's leg and onto his shoulders. He petted her and showed her the badge. "This is it, Piik. Our first badge. Seven more and we can enter the League. Let's go win 'em."

Piik pumped her small fists into the air and rode Ayden's shoulders out of the gym.

When they walked outside, Jin ran up to Ayden and placed him in a headlock. "Ah, man, Ayden, you were incredible! You had me on the edge of the railing! You were truly awesome back there!"

Ayden shook his head. "No, it wasn't me. The pokémon did all the work. I simply gave them a little push."

Ayden continued down the road with Jin following close, but Mendy and Nami kept their distance.

Nami clicked her teeth. "Can't believe he won like that. I just really wish someone would knock him off his high horse already!"

Mendy smiled. "Don't worry about it, Nami. He's going to be in plenty of battles. Let's just see how far this guy can go."

They caught up with Jin and Ayden and the four continued down the road.

* * *

Rose made her way down a long and narrow hallway. Her heels clicking with each step she took. She came to a door with an electronic lock. She punched in a few numbers and swiped a card. The light went from red to green and the door opened.

She stepped inside. The small room contained only a table, chair, and a large monitor screen on the other end.

Rose took her seat, pushed some hair out of the way and waited for her meeting to begin. After a minute, the monitor came on and a man appeared on the screen. He had long silver hair and crimson eyes. His shoulders each displayed a silver five-point star and his face showed no emotion.

The moment he appeared, Rose stood up, popped to attention, and gave a salute.

The man on the screen saluted back, then spoke with a calm deep voice. "Please, take your seat, Captain Rose. I'm glad my message finally reached you. I'm sure you're aware of the reason behind this meeting."

Rose took her seat and move some hair behind her ear. "Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Albrecht, and I'm ready to give you some very pleasing news."

Albrecht raised an eyebrow. "Really? So, I take it you've found the whereabouts of the Carrier?"

Rose gave a nod. "Yes, Sir. His name is Ayden. He is currently traveling through Pewter City and should be on his way toward Route 3 as we speak."

Albrecht gave a nod. "That is wonderful news. Tell me, how did you know where he's heading?"

Rose grinned. "One of my men was stationed out on Route 3 for the past month. He was to monitor another fellow member who was tasked to procure all the stones within Pewter City. As I knew he would, the Carrier came about and confronted my decoy, defeating him just as I expected him to. He was… too thrilling."

Her breathing hastened as she recalled the footage she received from her subordinate. His determination and strength as he fought to retrieve the stolen stones raised her temperature. She shook her head and cleared her throat.

Albrecht placed his hand to his chin. "I see. Excellent work, Captain. Please continue to monitor the Carrier's movements. We need his power to continue our plans. We can't afford to lose track of the soul like we did eight years ago."

Rose nodded. "Absolutely, Sir. I won't lose track of him. I've already assigned several of my men to head toward Route 3 and the neighboring city, Cerulean. They're ready to intercept the Carrier on sight."

Albrecht nodded. "Very well. Make sure they do not kill him. He's to be brought back here alive. Otherwise we'll be starting this chase all over again."

Rose bowed. "Understood, Sir."

The monitor turned off and Rose stood up to full height. Her plans were coming together. Soon, Ayden will be brought back to headquarters and they'll be able to meet for the first time. Her heart throbbed with anticipation. She pulled the picture of Ayden out of her cleavage and stared at it.

She sat down at the table and placed her hand on her cheek, singing softly to herself. "Tick tock, tick tock, time is moving fast. Tick tock, tick tock, my waiting will end at last."


	7. A Rival Appears

**CHAPTER 7**

A gentle breeze blew across the plains. The afternoon sun warmed his brow and intensified his sweat, and he clenched his fists as he thought about his position. The battle had raged on for a while and he had been badly driven into a corner. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get a scratch on his opponent.

He had short brown hair and blue eyes, wore shorts with a long-sleeve shirt and a baseball cap turned backwards.

He looked at his pokémon, a Raticate. However, Raticate had hit its limits a long time ago and gasped for air as it tried to focus on its opponent.

The young boy racked his brain on what to do. There had to be some way to turn the situation around. However, no matter how he looked at it, the next move would be Raticate's last.

He wiped his brow and decided to go for broke. "Raticate, Hyper Fang attack!"

Raticate got down on all fours and rushed toward its opponent, baring its fangs. The opposing trainer didn't seem worried. She was a young girl of thirteen, had deep purple eyes, and her blood-colored hair extended down to her knees. She wore loose-fitting black cargo pants with a gray tank top that showed off her slender figure.

She simply crossed her arms and ordered her pokémon to attack.

Her pokémon replied without hesitation. It zoomed across the field and attacked Raticate. The next moment, Raticate lay sprawled on the ground with its fur charred and teeth crushed.

The young boy ran up to his pokémon and took it in his arms. "Raticate, are you okay? Say something!"

Raticate didn't respond. The female trainer recalled her pokémon and then walked past him.

He turned toward her and stood up. "Hey! What's your name? You didn't have to go that far! Just look at what you've done! You nearly killed Raticate!"

She stopped walking, but didn't turn around. The young boy froze amidst the silence. His eyes widened in fear as an uneasiness crept up in his throat. For some reason, she gave off a presence beyond his comprehension.

"It deserved it. It was weak, like you."

She continued down the road leaving the trainer to watch as her hair billowed in the wind like a scarlet cape.

* * *

After Ayden achieved his first gym badge and they rested at the Pokémon Center, the group left Pewter City and walked down Route 3. Everywhere they looked the beauty and sounds of nature treated their eyes and ears. Flocks of bird pokémon flew around the trees and different types climbed up the branches.

Jin couldn't believe it. He had finally left Pewter City to realize his dream. The chance to explore the world and see pokémon in their natural state. He even had friends to join him along his journey making it even better.

He took in deep breaths as he savored every moment, every second of the start of his journey. "This is like a dream come true. I've never travelled this far out of Pewter before. Just look at all the different pokémon just in this route alone. I don't even know where to begin."

Mendy giggled. "Don't worry, Jin. I'm sure you'll settle on the perfect pokémon to officially start your journey with. Who knows? Maybe you'll encounter a rare one."

Jin beamed and adjusted his glasses. "Of course! Just a little ways from here is Mt. Moon! That's the location of the pokémon, Clefairy! Many people have speculated for years that Clefairy came from outer space and crash landed here on earth! This is my chance to see one up close and study it!"

As Jin continued his rambling about Clefairy, Nami leaned toward Mendy and whispered into her ear. "Man, Jin is really fired up about this. I've heard Pokémon Watchers can be eccentric, but I didn't think it would be this extreme."

Mendy whispered back. "Oh, come on, give him a break. He's finally doing something that makes him happy. And that's what this journey is supposed to be about, right? Making our dreams come true."

Even though she said that, she couldn't help but feel envious of Jin. He had something she didn't. Something she wanted more than anything.

Nami stared at Mendy for a bit. She had known her for years, and could tell when she had a lot on her mind.

She smiled, wrapped her arm around her shoulder and pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah, you're right! We're not gonna stop until our dreams are reality! We're gonna be the greatest water-type trainers ever! You, the best water-type gym leader; and me, the world's greatest water pokémon specialist!"

They cheered and laughed as they rejoiced in their comradery. Mendy felt better the more she laughed. She could always count on Nami to have her back no matter what.

In the middle of their celebration, they saw a young boy frantically run down the road, carrying his Raticate. As he ran by them, they took notice of its burnt fur and broken teeth.

The young boy tripped and landed on his shoulder. "Just… hang in there, Raticate! I'll get you to the Pokémon Center soon!"

He struggled to stand, but fell to his knees. He'd been running for a while and barely had any energy left. He looked up and saw some people running toward him. Mendy arrived first.

She took off her backpack and rummaged through it until she found a small purple bottle. "Here, I have some Potion, let me spray this on Raticate."

The young boy nodded. Jin crouched down and examined Raticate. He looked through his backpack until he found some Burn Heal and then quickly applied it to the scorched pokémon. The boy's eyes widened as the color of Raticate's fur returned to normal and its injuries disappeared.

The boy looked up at Raticate's rescuers and then broke into tears. "Thank you! Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I don't know if Raticate would've made it! Thank you!"

Ayden walked up and stared at the boy. The injuries Raticate sustained could hardly be from an ordinary match. If Team Chaos had done this, he needed info and fast. "Who did this? What did they look like?"

The boy dried his tears and looked up at Ayden. "It was a girl, a girl with long red hair!" Ayden silently breathed a sigh of relief. "We were having a battle, but she just wouldn't stop! Her pokémon was powerful, but merely beating us wasn't enough for her! She just kept going and Raticate ended up getting badly hurt!"

Mendy's anger reached its boiling point. Seeing Raticate beat up that badly left a foul taste in her mouth. How could a trainer do that to anyone? If she went around doing this, she didn't deserve to be called a trainer. Someone needed to teach that girl a lesson and she knew she had to do it.

"Which way did that girl go?" He simply pointed down the road. Mendy nodded and flung her backpack over her shoulder. "All right, guys! Come on, let's hurry!"

She dashed down the road with the others quickly following her. Jin barely got his items back in his bag before taking off. "Wait, Mendy! What are you planning to do?"

Mendy didn't bother answering. She only had one thing on her mind, to take down this so-called trainer.

* * *

The girl with the blood-colored hair sat against a tree eating her lunch. The day dragged on, and boredom crept up on her as she took a bite of her rice ball in frustration. None of the trainers she fought gave her the challenge she needed. She had to find tougher trainers to defeat if she ever wanted to get anywhere on this journey. She needed to get stronger and fast, otherwise, she would never stand a chance against them, against him.

When she finished her lunch, she picked up her bag and continued down the road. It didn't take long before she spotted another trainer. He wore sunglasses and a baseball cap over his medium length blonde hair. She kept her eyes on him as he attempted to catch a pokémon.

The young trainer stared down a wild Pidgeotto as it flapped its wings in an effort to get him to bring on whatever he had. He took out his pokéball and threw it. A Pinsir, a brown bi-pedal bug-type with two spiked horns on its head, popped out and glared at Pidgeotto.

The trainer ordered Pinsir to attack Pidgeotto, but his plans were foiled as Pidgeotto flew away from another attack.

He turned and saw a trainer with long blood-red hair walk up to him. He looked back at Pidgeotto as it flew through the sky.

He gritted his teeth as he turned toward the trainer. "What was that for? You made me lose my chance at catching that Pidgeotto!"

She placed her hands on her hips. "Let's have a battle. You look like a decent enough trainer. Show me what you've got."

The male trainer's temper flared. He had to get back at this girl for ruining his chance at catching Pidgeotto. "Fine, I'll make you pay for what you did."

* * *

Mendy ran as fast as she could down the road. She had to hurry. She couldn't let this trainer get away with hurting another pokémon like that.

Jin and the others followed. They tried to catch up, but somehow Mendy kept getting further ahead of them.

Jin turned to Nami. "I don't get it. Why's she so adamant about finding this girl?"

Nami remained silent. She had a good idea of why she wanted to hunt down this trainer. However, considering what they just saw, this trainer had power to spare. She worried Mendy may not have what it takes to stop her.

Nami shook her head. "I don't know. For now, we have to try and catch up to her."

They all stopped running when they heard a loud bone-chilling scream echo throughout the woods. Mendy looked around frantically, but she couldn't tell where it came from. Her attention turned toward an explosion not too far from where she stood, and she charged after it. Nami tried to call out to her, but Mendy ignored her. All she could think about was stopping this trainer.

She finally made it through and arrived just in time to see a female trainer with long red hair recall her pokémon. She turned and saw the other trainer cry over his. Her eyes widened when she saw the state of his Pinsir. Burnt and beaten with its pincers broken in half.

The red-haired trainer shook her head. "You were just like the others… not even a warm-up."

She walked away until Mendy called out to her. She stopped and turned to face the purple-haired girl. "What do you want? Are you this guy's girlfriend or something?"

Mendy took a moment to catch her breath. She looked up and eyed the girl carefully. A girl with long hair the color of blood, exactly as the kid described her.

She straightened up and furrowed her brow. "No, but I am here to stop you! What you're doing is wrong! You can't just go around hurting other pokémon like this! Why do you have to take things so far? Why are you doing this in the first place?"

She stared at Mendy with an expression Mendy saw resembled that of Ayden's, emotionless, but hers seemed almost dead; as if her eyes held no sign of life at all. "And who are you to tell me what I can or can't do? My business should be none of your concern."

Mendy took a step forward. "It is my concern, because I'm a trainer too and I plan on becoming a gym leader someday! I won't stand to see someone fighting like this! Pokémon battles are supposed to be fun! It's a chance for both trainers and pokémon to connect with each other on a stronger level!"

The girl placed her hand on her hip. "You know, you've got a pretty big mouth talking all high and mighty like that. Just who the hell do you think you are? I suppose it's easy to talk like that when you're so ignorant. Do you really think pokémon battles are supposed to be fun? You have no idea what this world's about, do you? It's either take down, or be taken down. The weak are fodder for the strong. That's the reality. The only connection a trainer has with a pokémon is master and servant."

Mendy stomped her foot. "You're wrong! Pokémon are not meant to be servants! We're supposed to be friends! To fight together and grow stronger together! That's what we're meant to do!"

The girl shook her head. This girl didn't have a clue. Already blinded by the false reality of this world. There's no such thing as bonds or friendship or love. There's only power, and those who didn't have it, were destined to be killed off.

She turned and walked away. "Believe what you want, Princess. You'll learn sooner or later."

Mendy balled her hand. She couldn't let her get away. She had to set her straight right now.

She pulled her pokéball out and held it up. "Where are you going? I'm not finished with you yet! I'm gonna battle you right now and show you what I'm talking about!"

The girl stopped. She turned toward Mendy and raised an eyebrow. In her eyes, she didn't look all that strong. No matter how she sliced it, it would be a waste of time. However, she couldn't turn down an opportunity for easy experience.

She pulled her pokéball out. "Fine, a one-on-one fight. I'll be more than happy to teach you the truth."

Nami and the rest caught up and eyed the girl and Mendy. Nami stared at Mendy and hoped she would be okay. Both girls threw their pokéballs at the same time. Mendy called on Squirtle while the girl called out Monferno, a monkey-like fire and fighting-type with orange and yellow fur. It stood on its hind legs with its fists raised up like a boxer. The flame on its tail flickered in anticipation as it glared at its opposition. It took several practice punches before standing completely still, awaiting the orders of its trainer, giving off the vibe of a killer.

Mendy eyed the girl's choice. By standards, Mendy had the advantage, but she couldn't shake off an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. The girl didn't seem worried at all, neither did Monferno. She couldn't let that distract her though. She had to win this no matter what. "Squirtle, Water Gun!"

Squirtle jumped into the air and fired a stream of water at Monferno.

The girl stood still and remained calm as the water closed in. "Monferno, Flamethrower!"

Monferno reared back and launched a devastating attack at Squirtle's Water Gun. The flames evaporated the water instantly.

Mendy's eyes widened in horror at how she could negate Squirtle's attack so easily?

She took a step back, but then Nami's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Mendy! It's okay! Hang in there! You can do it! Show her what you've got! We know you can beat her!"

Mendy looked back at Nami's cheering. Her words reminded her of why she chose to fight this girl in the first place. She had to stop her from doing all those terrible things to other pokémon. She had to show her the right way to have a battle.

Mendy gave Nami a nod and smiled. "Thanks, Nami! Squirtle, let's try it again, use Water Gun!"

Squirtle fired another attack at Monferno, and again, the girl didn't seem worried.

"Monferno, Mach Punch!"

Before Water Gun could reach it, Monferno disappeared. Squirtle looked around for it, but didn't see it until it appeared before him. Mendy couldn't believe the speed it had. She didn't know what to do. Even after all the encouragement Nami gave her, she couldn't believe the level difference between the two. Its speed and power towered anything she could do. Before she could even think of a counter move, Monferno had punched Squirtle in his center, sending it flying toward the trees.

The girl still remained calm. "Monferno, continue using Mach Punch!" Before Squirtle collided with the tree, Monferno appeared behind it and punched it toward the other side the field. Mendy watched in horror as it kept up the same pattern again and again. "Now, follow up with Flamethrower!"

Monferno caught Squirtle and pinned him to ground. Squirtle opened his eyes just in time to see Monferno launch its attack at point blank.

Mendy fell to her knees and teared up as the flames burned Squirtle's light blue skin. "Please! Enough! Stop it!"

When the attack finished, charred spots covered Squirtle's body and his shell had been dented. Monferno looked at its work and grinned.

Mendy looked at Squirtle and froze at what had happened to him. She gathered him in her arms and cried.

"Monferno, Mach Punch!"

Mendy's eyes widened. She would still attack, even when the battle had ended? Monferno ran toward her, readying its fists for its next attack. Mendy tightened her hold on Squirtle and braced herself.

The girl saw Mendy cover Squirtle and grinned. A desperate attempt at saving her pokémon from its inevitable fate. "Monferno, continue the attack!"

Monferno continued toward Mendy and aimed its fist at her.

Nami called out to her, but Monferno moved too fast for her to get away.

Before Monferno reached its target, a bolt of electricity zipped through the air and caused Monferno to break the attack and jump a safe distance away.

The girl looked up and saw a Pikachu charge up its cheeks and its silver-haired trainer right behind it. She squinted her eyes in annoyance. "What's the meaning of this? You're interrupting our battle."

Ayden stood calm. "That's enough. You've won. Recall your pokémon and leave."

The girl stared at Ayden and then glanced at his Pikachu. She'd fought many trainers before, but he seemed different. She couldn't help but feel impressed with the way he stopped Monferno's attack. She trained Monferno to withstand any type of attack in order to finish off an opponent. The fact Monferno backed off meant that attack would've been really dangerous if it connected. Something told her, he had to be in a league of his own.

Mendy looked up and saw the girl recall Monferno. She kept Squirtle safe from the attack, but the damage he'd already suffered churned her stomach. How could she have let this happen? She tensed up when she saw the girl look toward her with an emotionless and solid expression.

"Now do you understand? This is reality. The ones with power are the ones to survive. To think, all this could've been avoided if you just kept your nose out of my business. Now look at you, a weak-ass trainer crying over a weak pokémon. You're worthless."

Mendy froze. That word again. Why did she have to be branded with that word everywhere she went? Why couldn't she do anything to help Squirtle? Why? A tear fell down her cheek as she sobbed over Squirtle.

Nami ran up to Mendy as she cried and placed her arm around her shoulders. Nami called to her, but she didn't respond. Tears continued to fall, but the rest of her body didn't move. Nami balled her hands. She would never forgive her for this. Nobody insulted Mendy and got away with it. "Just shut up! How dare you do this to her! Who the hell are you anyway?"

The girl shifted her gaze to Nami. "The name's Raye. Tell your friend to remember that the next time she thinks battles are meant to be fun."

Nami could barely hold her rage in. If she wasn't trying to comfort Mendy, she'd have choked this girl by now. "Why you little…!"

Raye cut her off by shifting her gaze over to Ayden. "I'm curious about you. You seem different from the others. There aren't many trainers who can make Monferno back off the way you did. You look like you know what you're doing. What's your name?"

Ayden stared at her with the same emotionless expression. "Ayden."

Raye walked up to him, leaned in, and whispered.

"The look in your eyes, is the same as mine. You too have seen the same hell as I have, haven't you?" Ayden stared at her in bewilderment. "I can tell, like me, you harbor hatred. It's something you can't explain, right? Something that burns inside you and you can't get rid of it no matter what you try. It's just something you know you have to do. Yes, I understand exactly how you feel. I look forward to the day you and I battle. We'll see whose hatred is stronger."

She turned and walked down the road. The group stared as she disappeared into the distance.

* * *

The group arrived at the entrance to Mt. Moon where they decided to take break. Everyone remained silent as the recent event with Raye still weighed on their minds. Mendy sat staring at Squirtle's pokéball. Every second of the battle plagued her mind and the guilt grew the more she thought about it.

She could still see Squirtle's face as he got pummeled by Monferno, screaming for her to help him and she didn't. She didn't know what to do. Why couldn't she help him? "I'm sorry, Squirtle. I'm so sorry."

Nami sat beside Mendy and tried her best to get her to cheer up, but to no avail.

She placed her hand on her shoulder and moved her closer. "Mendy, it's going to be okay. We'll get Squirtle to a Center and get him healed up. Jin and I even gave it some treatment ourselves, so he'll be fine for now. Come on, let's get through this cave."

Mendy gave her an unenthusiastic nod.

Jin clapped his hands and then turned toward the group with a smile. "All right! Who's ready to get through this cave! Let's see if we can meet some rare and possibly extraterrestrial pokémon!" He pumped his fists into the air, but didn't expect to be met with lack luster enthusiasm from his group. He then looked around. "Have either of you seen Ayden?"

The girls looked at each other and then at the entrance of the cave. He had already gone in before any of them. Nami and Mendy couldn't believe it. He slipped away from them again.

Ayden walked slowly through the damp catacombs of Mt. Moon. Lights had been installed throughout the caves affecting the behavior of the pokémon. Paras, an orange cicada-like pokémon, plucked out their mushrooms and planted them into the ground while Sandshrew lay on the ground boiling in the heat from the newly installed lights.

Piik nudged up to Ayden's cheek and Ayden stroked her head. "Yeah, I feel it too. Whoever did this is after more than just messing with the pokémon here."

He heard Jin's voice as he and the girls ran up to him. "Ayden! Wait for us, man!"

Ayden turned and saw them run toward him. Their voices coupled with the sounds of their feet escalated the amount of noise.

Nami walked up to Ayden in annoyance and her voice resonated throughout the caves. "What were you trying to do, huh? Leave us behind? You were trying to sneak away and get out of paying for Mendy's bike, weren't you?"

Ayden clapped his hand over her mouth and pinned her to the wall. She struggled until he signaled for her to quiet down. She and the group fell silent and listened for what Ayden heard.

Ayden slowed his breathing and closed his eyes. The lights in the cave already made the situation bad enough, but Nami's voice more than likely ticked something off.

He opened his eyes and then dropped his voice to a whisper. "Piik, get ready."

Piik nodded and jumped off his shoulder as the group listened intently for what would come.

Jin gulped down his nerves and Mendy slowly inched toward Nami.

The cave soon erupted into pandemonium as a swarm of Zubat flew toward the group. The light-blue bat-like pokémon surrounded the group and swiftly attacked.

Jin, Nami, and Mendy covered their heads and screamed while trying to swat them away, resulting in nothing but angering the bat pokémon further.

Ayden eyed the Zubat carefully. He didn't want to do it, but he had to do something to keep them from going on a rampage. "Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik launched the attack, hitting every Zubat.

As the Zubat fell to the ground in a heap, Jin, Nami, and Mendy fell to their knees and caught their breaths.

Nami wiped her brow and breathed a sigh of relief. "What was that all about?"

Ayden walked up to her, knelt down, and then spoke in a firm yet annoyed whisper. "I'm gonna need you to keep quiet. In case you haven't figured it out yet, the pokémon in this cave are confused and angry. The slightest pitch of sound could be enough to cause them to attack us. If you don't want something like what just happened to occur again, I'd suggest you shut your mouth and pay closer attention to your surroundings."

He stood up and walked further into the cave with Piik close at his heels. Nami stared at him holding in her anger the best she could. She couldn't believe him. He thought just because he lucked out on getting a badge, he could just tell others what to do?

Mendy helped her back on her feet. "Are you okay, Nami?"

Nami dusted herself off then turned to Mendy. "No, I'm not okay! That jerk thinks he knows everything! And where does he get off putting his hands on me? As soon as we get to the next Center, I'm washing my face at least ten times!"

Mendy shook her head at Nami's exasperation. "Anyway, he may be a jerk, but he does have a point. We should take extra care while going through these caves. Whoever put these lights up is after something. Come on, let's go." They walked until they realized they stood in the middle of a fork. The looked at all the hallways then at each other. "You didn't happen to see which way they went, did you?"

Nami laughed awkwardly. "I thought you had that covered."

They dropped their shoulders when the realization hit them.

* * *

Jin hastened his pace until he caught up with Ayden. He looked around at all the lights and the affects they had on the pokémon. "Hey, who do you think did this? This is awful."

Ayden walked in silence; his mind submerged in thought. He had an idea of who might be behind it, but he had to be certain.

Jin placed his hands behind his head and sighed. "This is just great. I finally get a chance to explore Mt. Moon and something like this happens. Now my chances of getting to study rare pokémon have just been shot."

He looked up and saw to his surprise a Clefairy hopping down the next hallway. He couldn't believe his luck. A Clefairy had appeared right in front of his eyes. He couldn't let this opportunity pass him by.

A moment later, another figure ran past them, a tall man wearing all black with a silver 'C' embroidered on his chest.

Ayden widened his eyes. Just as he thought, Team Chaos caused all this. He couldn't let Jin know they were after him. He had to find a way to get him away from Team Chaos.

Before he could think of a way, Jin took off down the hallway. "I don't know who that guy is, but he's not gonna catch that Clefairy! I have to study it!"

Ayden tried to catch him, but Jin had already rounded a corner. He cursed under his breath and ran after him.

Clefairy hopped down the hallways as fast as she could until she ran into a dead end. She turned around and stared at the tall man in front of her. Her body trembled as the man creeped closer and pulled out a pokéball.

"I don't know how you were able to escape, but I'm gonna make sure you learn to stay where we tell you!"

He wound up and threw. Clefairy covered her eyes and braced herself for the impact. She suddenly heard a voice echo throughout the caves.

"Vulpix, Swift!"

Multiple golden stars whizzed through the air and hit the pokéball inches before it touched Clefairy. The ball fell to the ground and rolled to a safe distance.

The Chaos Grunt turned around and saw Jin standing behind him with Vulpix ready for battle.

Jin pointed at the grunt. "I don't know who you are, but I won't allow you to catch Clefairy. It's such a rare pokémon and I want to study it in its natural habitat."

The Grunt laughed and pulled out another pokéball. "You think I care what you want, kid? I'm gonna show you what happens when you meddle in other people's business. Go, Poochyena!"

Poochyena popped out of the ball and growled at Vulpix, and she responded in kind.

Jin adjusted his glasses and chuckled. "You obviously don't know who you're dealing with, my friend. Allow me to give you a bit of advice. Never stand in the way of a Pokémon Watcher and his choice of study! Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

Vulpix charged at Poochyena as fast as her legs would carry her. She zoomed across the ground and slammed into Poochyena.

Poochyena skidded across the floor and shook off the attack.

"Poochyena, Tackle it!"

Poochyena charged at Vulpix, but she side-stepped just in time.

Jin smiled. "Great job, Vulpix! Use Ember!"

Vulpix reared back and fired small bursts of flames at Poochyena, knocking the pokémon back up to the wall of the cave. The attack left cinders on Poochyena's fur, infuriating the wolf pokémon.

Jin snapped his fingers in excitement. "All right! Now, wrap this up with one more Ember!"

Vulpix reared back again, but was hit from the side.

Jin turned to see another man dressed the same as the first with a Poochyena at his heels.

The new opponent turned to his partner in disgust. "Alfonse! The hell you wasting time for? Hurry up! We have to get going!"

Alfonse cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, I know, Dietrich, but this kid interrupted me."

Dietrich shook his head. "Just can't seem to handle things on your own, can you? Fine, I'll help you take care of this kid, then we'll take that Clefairy back with us. The Captain will be really pleased with this."

They turned and stared Jin down. Jin backed up as the thought of a two-on-one battle drained all the gung-ho out of him. A voice echoed into the room and drew their attention.

"You won't be taking anything. This just turned into a tag battle."

Jin turned and nearly broke into tears at the sight of Ayden.

Alfonse and Dietrich took a long look at Ayden. The silver hair and the blue-cheeked Pikachu; they smiled when they realized the Carrier had entered the room.

Dietrich laughed at the realization. "This just got even better, Alfonse! To think, we'd be able to score a chance to catch the C-."

Piik shot a bolt of electricity at them before he could finish the sentence.

Ayden couldn't let Jin or anyone else know these guys were after him. He had enough on his plate already.

He turned his attention to Jin. "Come on! Let's end this quick! We have to help the pokémon here! Who knows what these people are planning to do!"

Jin nodded. "You're right. Whatever they're up to, can't be anything good. These guys have a way of toying with both people and pokémon. I can only imagine what you've gone through, Vulpix, but now's our chance for some payback! Vulpix, Ember!"

"Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Both pokémon launched their attacks and landed direct hits on the Poochyena, knocking them out.

Both men recalled them and took off down the cave. "We'll remember this, you brats!"

Jin knelt down and patted Vulpix on the head. "Excellent work, Vulpix, you did a great job. Thanks for the assist, Ayden. We would've been beaten badly if you hadn't shown up."

Ayden shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Come on, we have to hurry. There's bound to be more of those guys somewhere in this cave."

Jin stopped Ayden before he took off down the cave. He walked over to Clefairy and extended his hand to her. Clefairy stared at it with caution. "It's okay. We just want to help. My friend and I are worried about the pokémon in this cave. There are bad people doing terrible things, aren't there? Will you help us to stop them?"

Clefairy looked at Jin a little longer. Even though she felt scared, they did do a good job in beating those people. She gave Jin a nod and then hopped down the cave.

Jin pumped his fists. "Yes! Looks like Clefairy's gonna show us the way!"

Ayden nodded. "All right, let's go!"

* * *

Mendy and Nami continued to eye the multiple paths. They had one chance of getting it right, otherwise they risked running into more Zubat or worse.

Nami fell to her knees. "Great! Just great! How many times can we lose track of that jerk!"

Mendy thought for a second, then snapped her fingers. "Hey, let's get Marill to help us out like it did in Viridian Forest!"

Nami beamed. Why didn't she think of that? Sometimes she wonders what she would do without Mendy.

She stood up and opened her backpack. "Mendy, you're a genius. As long as we have Marill with us, we can keep track of that jerk no matter where he goes."

She dug into her backpack until she found Marill's pokéball. The moment she pulled it out of the bag, she felt something crawl up her leg. She looked down and saw a Paras inch its way up her shin.

In the moment of surprise, she screamed and kicked the Paras away. Paras sailed through the cave until it landed on the back of a Sandshrew. In its irritation, Sandshrew swatted Paras away with its tail sending it flying to the other side of the cave where it landed on its back on top of several Diglett. The Diglett ran through the cave in fury, shaking the interior. The ceiling rattled, disturbing the Zubat resting there. They opened their eyes and flew around the entire cave. Several of them launched a Supersonic attack causing others to do the same.

Mendy and Nami shrieked as the Zubat approached. They swatted them away as they circled around their heads. Mendy found an opening, grabbed Nami's wrist, and pulled her away from the swarm. They ran down one of the paths with the Zubat following closely behind them.

"Nami! Why did you do that?"

"I panicked, okay? Shut up!"

They ran down the cave as fast as they could. They could feel the Zubat inching closer to them. The flapping of their wings grew louder and their screeching became ear-splitting.

Mendy saw a side hallway and motioned Nami toward it. They both jumped in at the same time and covered their heads as the Zubat flew over. When the last one flew by, they slowly sank to the ground in relief.

Mendy wiped her brow and took in deep breaths. "Great, now… we're even deeper… in the cave… and we still have… no clue where we are."

Nami gulped down as much air as she could. "Don't… blame this… on me."

Mendy heaved in breaths. "I wasn't, but that actually sounds like a good idea."

In the midst of their break, they heard voices coming further down the cave.

Mendy tapped Nami on the arm and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Hey, did you hear that?"

Nami nodded and dropped her voice to a whisper as well. "Yeah, I think it came from over there."

Both girls stood up and kept quiet. They hoped the voices belonged to some good people who could help them out of the cave. They waited until two figures emerged from the shadows. Two men wearing all black with a silver 'C' on their chests stood in front of them. Both men had muscular features with one being clean shaven and the other had a goatee.

The clean-shaven one nudged his partner in the arm. "Hey, Klaus, look what we've found; a couple of girls lost in a cave."

Klaus smoothed down his goatee then cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, I see 'em, Marzell. It's a shame they wandered here. We should do the gentlemanly thing and help show them the way out."

The girls backed away from them as much as they could.

Nami furrowed her brow and moved in front of Mendy. "Who are you guys and what are you doing here?"

Klaus and Marzell laughed and got their pokéballs ready. "Sorry, little lady, but we're not obliged to answer that." They threw their pokéballs into the air, releasing two Poochyena.

The Poochyena growled at the girls, baring their fangs and giving them vicious looks as though they would bite off their legs if given the chance.

Klaus smoothed down his goatee again. "Why don't you girls just do us a favor and hand over your pokémon before you end up getting hurt? We promise to let you both go free if you cooperate."

The girls stood their ground. Nami gripped Marill's pokéball and pulled another one from her bag. She looked over at Mendy and thought about her last battle. With Squirtle being the only pokémon she had; she didn't have a way to defend herself.

"Mendy, stand back! I've got this! Marill, Staryu, I need your help!"

Marill popped out of the ball and looked around with a smile on its face while its zigzag-patterned tail swaying from side to side. Staryu emerged beside Marill. The red jewel at the center of its star-like frame glistened under the lights in the cave.

Mendy turned toward Nami. Nami couldn't be thinking of taking them both on by herself, could she? "Nami? What're you…?"

Nami kept her focus on the two men. "Look, I'll be fine. Just stand behind me. You can't battle anyway. Squirtle's too exhausted, remember? Don't worry. I'll take care of these guys in no time."

Mendy's eyes widened. She thought about the last battle and how badly Squirtle got beaten. She couldn't bring Squirtle out to fight now. He still hadn't recovered. But she couldn't let Nami fight both of them all by herself.

Just then, Squirtle popped out of his pokéball and stood in front of Mendy. The moment he landed; he fell to his knees. The wounds from the previous battle still took their toll on him.

Mendy looked at him in shock. "Squirtle! What do you think you're doing? Get back in your ball! You're too injured to fight!"

Squirtle looked back at Mendy and shook his head. No matter what, he had to fight. He had to protect his trainer.

Mendy didn't know what to say. Squirtle still wanted to battle, to protect her, even after all he'd gone through. His devotion to her made her smile as tear fell down her cheek. If Squirtle steeled himself to risk everything, then she as his trainer, had no reason to give anything less.

She knew the risks, but she decided to put her faith in Squirtle. "Nami, you ready?"

Nami gave a nod. "Yeah, let's do this."

Klaus and Marzell braced themselves.

Klaus smoothed out this goatee and launched the first attack. "Poochyena! Attack the turtle! Shadow Ball!"

Poochyena reared back and launched its attack at Squirtle.

Nami grinned. "Marill, back Squirtle up with Water Gun!"

Marill hobbled over to Squirtle's side and launched a stream of water at the Shadow Ball. An explosion occurred at the moment of impact that shook the cave.

Mendy smiled. "Thanks for the save, Nami! Squirtle, jump on Marill and use Water Gun!"

Squirtle hopped on the ball of Marill's tail. After he got into position, Marill launched him into the air. There, he reared back and launched an attack at Poochyena.

Marzell grinned. "Don't get cocky! Poochyena, Shadow Ball!"

Poochyena launched its attack to counter Squirtle's. The explosion knocked Squirtle back and he landed on his stomach.

Mendy stared at Squirtle not knowing what to do. She knew he had reached his limit, but she didn't have the heart to try and stop him. "Squirtle, can you keep going?"

Squirtle looked back at her and gave a nod.

Mendy smiled. "All right! Let's try another Water Gun!"

Klaus grinned as Squirtle wound up for another attack. "Poochyena, Sucker Punch!"

Before Squirtle could launch his attack, Poochyena slammed Squirtle in the stomach, sending him flying across the cave.

Mendy watched in horror as Squirtle collided against the cave wall and fell onto his back. Her mind instantly went back to her battle with Raye. Seeing Squirtle get injured again paralyzed her. All she could think about was how could she let Squirtle battle in his condition.

Nami looked over at Mendy. She knew this would happen. She had to try and end the battle as quickly as possible.

She then looked back at Klaus and Marzell. "How dare you? Staryu, Double-Edge!"

Staryu jumped into the air and flew rapidly toward Marzell's Poochyena.

Marzell grinned. He'd been waiting for her to come in close. "Poochyena, Thunder Fang!"

Poochyena bared its fangs as they sparked with electricity. It caught Staryu in its jaw and crunched down on it. The electricity surged through Staryu's body, weakening it with each passing second.

Nami clenched her fists. "Marill, help Staryu! Use Rollout!"

Marill got a running start then curled itself into a ball and rolled toward Poochyena. The more distance Marill covered, the faster it went.

Klaus saw an opening and took it without hesitation. "Poochyena, Roar!"

Poochyena reared back and then hit Marill with the most deafening roar it had ever heard. The attack terrified Marill out of its Rollout and forced it back into its ball.

Nami stared at it and tried to recall it, but Marill wouldn't come out.

Marzell grinned. "Thanks for the backup. Poochyena, finish that Staryu off!"

Poochyena bit harder on Staryu, causing the pokémon to flap around in an attempt to escape. After a moment, Staryu stopped moving and went limp in Poochyena's jaw.

Nami recalled Staryu then stood up to guard Mendy.

Klaus and Marzell laughed. "I'm starting to think their pokémon aren't even worth it. Maybe we should put these girls out of their misery and then go back to what we were doing."

Klaus smoothed down his goatee as he thought about Marzell's proposition. "Indeed, we should get back to finding the Carrier, but I think it wouldn't hurt to take these pokémon with us. At least they'll receive proper training."

Mendy glared at them. Carrier? What did they mean by that? She snapped out of her thoughts when they ordered another attack. The Poochyena reared back and geared up another Shadow Ball. Mendy closed her eyes and Nami braced herself.

Suddenly, a voice boomed through the cave and caught everyone's attention. "Double Kick!"

Nami and Mendy suddenly felt something whiz past them. They blinked and saw the two Poochyena fly to the other side of the cave.

The voice came through again. "Mach Punch!"

Before the Poochyena reached the walls of the cave, the figure punched the first in the stomach and pinned it to the wall. It disappeared then punched the second. It repeated the motion several times, before it backed off into the shadows.

While this happened, both girls couldn't see what attacked the Poochyena. Things cleared up when they saw the figure's trainer emerge out of the shadows. Mendy's eyes widened as she stared up at Raye. However, she wasn't like how she presented herself when they first met. Her face showed nothing but anger. As if it took everything she had to keep herself from going berserk.

"Monferno, Flamethrower!"

Monferno reared back and launched the attack at the Poochyena. Mendy and Nami both ducked out of the way as the fire engulfed the two pokémon, and they yelped as the flames slowly incinerated their fur.

Klaus and Marzell stood in shock. Their pokémon fell to the ground charred and out cold. The two men didn't bother recalling them. They took the chance and ran for the exit.

Raye saw them in the corner of her eye. "Where do you think you're going? Monferno, Mach Punch!"

Monferno went straight for both men. The men blinked and Monferno appeared in front of them. The air left their bodies as Monferno struck them in their stomachs.

They landed on their backs and spat blood as they held their stomachs.

Marzell tried to lift his head, but Raye stomped on him, keeping him flat on the ground.

She glared at him as he whimpered. "You're not going anywhere. With Monferno's attack, you most likely have several ruptured organs and a few broken ribs. But that's just the start of your suffering."

Mendy looked up at Raye in shock. Her demeanor had completely changed from when they first met her. Bloodlust filled her eyes. She had to do something to stop her. These men, regardless of what they've done, didn't deserve this kind of punishment.

"Raye, enough! You've won! Let them go!"

Raye didn't look back at Mendy. She kept all her attention on the two men. "Shut up! What do you know? You have no idea what these people are capable of! You think they're just simple pokémon thieves? These people are far more dangerous than that! They'll do anything it takes to get what they want! Even if it means killing innocent people!"

Mendy and Nami sat stunned by her words.

Raye balled her hands and clenched her teeth, holding back tears as she spoke. "Eight years ago… eight years ago, they took my sister away from me! I was powerless! Weak! I tried to stop them, but they killed her, right in front of me! I was lucky enough to still be alive! When I woke up, she was gone! She didn't move! She didn't breathe! No matter how many times I asked her to wake up, she wouldn't! All because of them. They did something to her! Not even the doctors could figure it out! I swore I'd get stronger and get my revenge! Monferno!"

At her call, Monferno jumped onto Marzell's stomach. He cried out in agony as she put more pressure on his face.

She squinted her eyes. "It hurts, doesn't it? The pain! The pain of not being able to do anything while someone else takes something precious from you! You're gonna experience exactly what she felt when she died!"

Marzell caught enough breath to speak. Tears fell as he looked up at her. "P-Please… we… weren't… there. Please… spare… us."

Raye's expression turned to absolute disgust. "You… you dare beg for mercy after what you people have done? After what you did to her? Where was her mercy? Did you stop when she was crying for her life? Did you? Monferno, let them taste the fires of hell! Flamethrower!"

Monferno wound up for the attack, while Marzell still pleaded for her not to do it, but she didn't listen. Monferno closed in to launch the attack, but a stream of water blew it off Marzell.

This took Raye by surprise. She turned to see Squirtle breathing heavily on his knees. She couldn't believe it. That thing actually managed to hit her Monferno?

"Monferno! Take it out!"

Monferno charged at Squirtle, but missed when Mendy recalled it. It zoomed past Mendy and collided with the cave wall. It cracked and boulders avalanched onto Monferno's arm. It tried, but couldn't free its hand out of the rubble.

Mendy took the chance and tackled Raye off Marzell. The girls struggled against each other until Mendy finally pinned her to the ground.

Raye calmed down long enough to speak. "What do you think you're doing? Are you siding with them?"

Mendy shook her head. "No! I'm trying to make you see what you're doing is wrong! Pokémon aren't meant to be tools for war or for you to seek vengeance!"

The look on Raye's face didn't change. Her anger simply rose. "Monferno is my servant, and I'm its master! It will do what I tell it to! It's no business of yours!"

"And what about your sister? What do you think she'd say if she saw you like this? Living for revenge? What kind of life is that? And even if you get your revenge, then what? What will you have? You'd have wasted your whole life by then!"

Raye clenched her teeth. "You and your stupid preaching! Don't go acting like you know everything!"

She kneed Mendy in the stomach then punched her in the jaw. The impacts knocked the wind out of her and she fell to her side.

Nami's eyes widened as she saw Mendy lying on the ground. She ran up and held Mendy in her arms. "Mendy! Mendy! Are you okay? Say something!"

Mendy stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at Nami's worried face and then gave a nod. "Yeah, I'm okay, Nami, don't worry."

They looked up at Raye who stared down at them with clenched fists. "What makes you think you know anything about me? What could a worthless person like you ever know about losing something important to them? Every day, I'm haunted by that memory of seeing my sister dead in my arms! Wasting my life? I've already lost it! These people stole it from me! I've lost everything! The only way I can find peace, is by killing the man who killed her!" She recalled Monferno and placed the ball back on her belt. "Let this be a warning to you. If you get in my way again, I won't hesitate in taking you out as well."

She walked out of the cave leaving Mendy and Nami together with the defeated Chaos members.

Nami turned her attention back to Mendy. "Mendy, can you stand? How're you feeling?"

Mendy staggered back up and held her stomach. She wiped the blood from her mouth and stared at the exit Raye took with her words resonating in her mind. "Worthless". Why did it have to be that word? Tears flooded her eyes, and she fought with everything she had to keep them from falling.

Nami placed her hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you did the right thing. You couldn't just let her go through with it. Come on, let's go find the others."

Mendy wiped her tears away and gave a nod and Nami called Marill out of its pokéball. "Marill, we're looking for the others. Can you tell us where they are?"

Marill still shook from the effects of Roar. It gave a hesitant nod and listened in for Jin and Ayden. Its ears twitched and wiggled as it concentrated. Finally, it opened its eyes and ran out of the cave.

Nami cracked a smile. "Come on, let's hurry."

Mendy gave a nod and they walked out together with Nami as her crutch.

* * *

Ayden and Jin followed Clefairy as she led them deep within Mt. Moon. As they turned a corner, Clefairy stopped hopping and stayed close to the wall. Ayden and Jin copied her and peeked around the corner. They saw a large clearing surrounded by tall jagged rock formations. The formations left an opening allowing the sunlight to stream in and illuminate the clearing. In the center was a large spherical stone that glistened in the sunlight, showing the reflections of everything in the room as if it were a kaleidoscope. Ayden and Jin recognized it immediately as the Moon Stone.

Jin stood in awe. He had never seen anything like this before. He couldn't take his eyes off it. He stood up to get a closer look until Ayden placed his hand on his shoulder and held him back.

Jin looked back at Ayden. "What? I'm just going to get a closer-,"

Ayden held a finger to his lips and ushered Jin to look closer within the clearing. Jin obliged and his eyes widened as he watched several members of Team Chaos walk back and forth carrying Clefairy in cages. Others chipped away at the Moon Stone until they held chunks in their hands. When they got what they needed, they went over and held it against the Clefairy.

Clefairy reacted to the Moon Stone and a blinding flash of light absorbed them. When the light dissipated, Clefairy had evolved into Clefable. The Chaos member grinned at the result.

The members moved the caged pokémon from one side to the other keeping the Clefairy and Clefable separated. One grunt finished setting a cage down and smiled at the angry Clefable inside.

He went back over to the other side of the clearing and stared down at the frightened Clefairy. "All right, now we'll get the rest of you evolved, send you to our boss, and give you guys to the Experiment Sector along with what's left of the Moon Stone. All right, men! Don't take too much out of the stone! We still need it for the other half of the plan! Also, keep an eye out for the Carrier! According to our men, he's somewhere in Mt. Moon!"

Jin balled his hands in anger. "This is terrible. How could they do something like this to them?"

Ayden focused all his energy in keeping his anger in. "I know, what makes it even worse is that's not just any Moon Stone. It's way more precious to them than that. The Clefairy worship that stone and they let it decide which among them would be the next to evolve. The Clefairy see that Moon Stone as their god."

Jin's eyes widened. "Their god? You sure?" He looked down at Clefairy and it nodded its head. Jin adjusted his glasses. "This is unreal. I knew the Moon Stone was important to them, but I didn't know it was their god."

Ayden furrowed his brow. "Yeah, but these guys couldn't care less about something like that."

Jin turned and whispered to Ayden. "We've got to do something! We can't just let them get away with this!"

Ayden nodded. "I know, but we need a plan. We can't just go in and start attacking. There are too many of them for us to fight alone. There's no telling what kind of pokémon they have up their sleeves."

Suddenly, they heard one of the Clefairy scream. A Chaos member hit it with a whip as it tried to get away. When it hit the ground, he continued to whip it. The Clefairy covered its head, but it was barely able to stop the pain.

Jin clenched his teeth. He looked down and noticed Clefairy had disappeared. He looked back into the clearing and saw Clefairy hopping toward the Chaos members. "Clefairy! No! We have to come up with a plan!"

The other members took notice of Clefairy's arrival and focused their attention on it.

One member stepped out from the rest. He had a scruffy beard and a square jaw, a large build and easily towered the other members. His shoulders displayed a gold bar. "Look here, men. Looks like we missed one. Someone hurry and get it in a cage and put it with the rest!"

One member stepped up out of the crowd. "As you command, Lieutenant Rüdiger!"

He pulled out a pokéball and threw it. It burst open and a Zubat appeared. It flew straight toward Clefairy, but quickly fell to the ground by a bolt of electricity. All the members looked to see who launched the attack.

Ayden and Jin appeared in the entrance with Piik charging up her cheeks gearing up for the battle.

Jin took out a pokéball and held it up. "Sorry, but your plans for the Clefairy stop here! We're not gonna allow you to hurt any more of them! Go Vulpix!" Vulpix popped out of her ball and joined Piik on the field. She bared her teeth and her fur stood on end. "Now, release all the Clefairy and leave them and the Moon Stone alone!"

Rüdiger scratched his beard and stepped forward. Ayden and Jin looked up at the giant who stood twice their size.

He leaned forward and stared at them and immediately took notice of Ayden's hair and Piik's cheeks. "I'm Chaos Second Lieutenant Rüdiger, leader of this operation. My promotion is at stake for the success of this mission, and I'm not about to let some kids ruin it for me. When this is over, not only will we have some rare specimens and the Moon Stone, but the Carrier will be with us as well."

Jin looked at Rüdiger in confusion. What did he mean by 'Carrier'?

Rüdiger straightened up and went back behind his barricade of soldiers. "You all, take care of them."

At his command, all the other members pulled out their pokéballs and threw them. The room became filled with Poochyena, Zubat, and Houndour.

Jin took a step back at the horde of opponents before them. "Aw man! I didn't expect us to be outnumbered by this much. Any ideas?"

Ayden remained calm as he took a step forward. "Just one."

Jin looked at him as the other pokémon closed the gap between them. Ayden raised his fingers into the air and snapped. Piik knew what that meant. He wanted her to use every ounce of her power to attack the enemy. She charged up her cheeks and unleashed her attack. The electricity hit every opponent, shocking them to the ground and knocking them out.

Jin looked at Piik then at Ayden. Since when could she do that? What kind of training has he been doing with her?

When the attack finished, Piik stumbled and then sat on the ground. Ayden ran up and gathered her in his arms. The attack took a lot out of her and he only needed her to do it when they were in a tight spot. The snap was Piik's signal to use that particular move. Unfortunately, with her energy depleted, she wouldn't be able to battle for the rest of the day.

"Way to go, Piik. Rest up for now, okay?"

Piik nodded and relaxed in Ayden's arms.

Rüdiger looked behind him and saw all his subordinates had been defeated. He grinned. He knew they wouldn't stand a chance against the Carrier in the long run, but he'd thought they'd at least last a few minutes. "Well, looks like you're tougher than I thought, boy. You've done well to make it this far, but you're gonna wish you hadn't."

He pulled out his pokéball and threw it. It burst open and a large bipedal purple pokémon with reptilian-like features emerged. It roared and pounded its chest as it geared up for battle. The cave shook with each stomp of his foot.

Rüdiger's subordinates cheered, elating in that they would get to see his famous Nidoking in action. Cheers of 'Take 'em down, Boss' and 'Destroy them' echoed throughout the room.

Rüdiger scratched his beard and grinned. "You'll find my Nidoking is on a completely different playing field than my subordinates' pokémon. You won't be getting any cheap shots with him."

Jin stepped forward. "Oh yeah? Well, we'll just see about that! Vulpix, Fire Spin!"

Vulpix jumped into the air and launched a stream of flames at Nidoking. Nidoking stood unfazed as the flames danced around its body, building a wall around it. It lifted its foot and stomped the ground, forcing the flames to dissipate.

Jin took a step back. The flames just bounced off of it. They didn't even hurt it at all. Ayden pulled out another pokéball and threw it. It burst open and Heracross emerged.

Heracross looked around with its claws intermingled with each other. He looked up and gazed at Nidoking staring it down. The sight of Nidoking's fierce face and destructive-looking physique caused it to run back behind Ayden.

Of all the pokémon Ayden would call him out to face, he wanted him to face that? A Nidoking? It looked like it could break the back of anything stupid enough to get caught by it. Heracross shook his head and shivered behind Ayden.

Jin face palmed. Things just took a turn for the worse. How could Heracross cower at a time like this?

Rüdiger laughed along with his subordinates. "Is this your lineup, boy? You expect to defeat me with that coward of a pokémon?"

He and his subordinates laughed even harder giving Heracross more of a reason to shrink behind Ayden. He closed his eyes and hoped with all his being that Ayden would call him back into his pokéball. He opened his eyes when he felt Ayden's hand on his head. He looked up and saw Ayden staring at him.

"I know I'm asking a lot out of you. But we really need you right now. Our other pokémon don't have the strength to stand up against his Nidoking. This is the time to face your fears. I know you can do it."

Heracross gazed at Ayden. Did Ayden really have that much confidence in him? Did he really think he could take this Nidoking? If Ayden felt that way, then he couldn't just stand back and let that confidence go to waste, no matter how scary that Nidoking looked, he couldn't let Ayden down.

Heracross nodded and then stepped out in front. Nidoking roared and its voice carried throughout the room. It sent shivers down Heracross' back, but he stood his ground. He'd come this far; he couldn't back down now.

Rüdiger scratched his beard. "Looks like it grew a backbone. Nidoking, let's break it in half! Use Tackle!"

Nidoking revved up its energy and charged straight at Heracross.

"Heracross, Endure!" At Ayden's call, Heracross planted its feet into the dirt and stopped Nidoking from advancing. "Heracross, push it back!"

Heracross tried to push Nidoking, but Nidoking pushed Heracross back inch by inch, causing Heracross to exert more energy just to keep its grip on it.

Jin adjusted his glasses. "This is unreal. The amount of power that thing has."

Ayden shook his head. "It's not just power. It's Nidoking's ability, Rivalry. Nidoking's power increases when it's fighting an opponent of the same gender."

Jin's eyes widened as a thought came to him. "Ayden, I think I may have a solution to that. Vulpix, let's help Heracross out!" Vulpix nodded and ran up to the battling pair. "Vulpix, Baby-Doll Eyes!"

Nidoking turned its attention to Vulpix as it gave him the biggest pair of puppy-dog eyes Nidoking had ever seen. It blushed and dropped its shoulders. It couldn't believe something so innocent had stepped onto the battlefield.

Heracross took the opportunity and finally pushed Nidoking back. He grabbed it by the horn and the stomach and gave it a toss back across the room. Nidoking soared through the air and then landed hard on its stomach.

Rüdiger clenched his teeth and balled his hands. How could his Nidoking be made a fool of? He couldn't let these little brats get the better of him. His promotion depended on the success of this mission. He had to shut them down. "Nidoking! Get up, you lazy idiot! Don't let them overpower you again! Hit them with Earth Power!"

Nidoking roared and stomped its foot, shaking the ground harder than before. Fissures formed and the walls cracked and crumbled around them. The Clefairy and Clefable bounced around in their cages and Ayden, Jin, and their pokémon fought to keep their balance.

Heracross stood his ground. He had to take the attack. He had to overcome his fear.

The ground underneath Heracross cracked into a circle and glowed. After a moment, it erupted enveloping Heracross in a cylinder of fire and rock. Ayden and Jin watched as the attack engulfed him and burn his body from every angle, but Heracross stomped the ground and broke free of the attack. Jin smiled and Ayden nodded while Piik and Vulpix cheered in the background making Heracross blush. That's the kind of determination Ayden knew he had. Heracross' will power to protect exceeded all of his expectations.

Rüdiger couldn't believe his eyes. How could such a weakling break free of Nidoking's attack? It didn't make any sense. He could hear the whispers of his subordinates behind him angering him even more. "Nidoking, you idiot! Don't let it recover! Quit fooling around and get serious already! Use Thrash!"

Nidoking crossed its arms and focused all its energy. Its body vibrated causing the entire room to shake. Steam emanated from Nidoking's body as its power reached its peak. Its muscles bulged out and its eyes turned a crimson red.

Rüdiger grinned. "You've all been rather lucky up to this point. But now that Nidoking is using Thrash, your hope for winning just got shot to hell. Nobody and nothing can stop Nidoking when it's using this attack. It's the perfect offensive move. Nidoking, end this now!"

At his command, Nidoking charged straight for the group. Heracross met it half way, but instantly felt a difference of power from the last time. Its strength had doubled from before.

Nidoking broke free of Heracross' grip and hit Heracross with a barrage of attacks. The attacks came in all directions and strengthened with each blow.

Heracross stood his ground though. He had to keep fighting to help Ayden and the others.

Jin clenched his teeth as he watched Heracross endure the beating. "Vulpix, come on. We've gotta help Heracross." Ayden held up his arm and stopped them. "Ayden, what're you doing? Heracross needs help! He's not gonna last much longer at this rate!"

Ayden shook his head. "I know. However, this is Heracross' fight. He wants to prove something not only to me, not only to everyone else, but to himself as well. He wants to prove he can get stronger and rid himself of being afraid. This battle will prove that. This battle will help Heracross evolve into a new level."

Jin dropped his shoulders. He couldn't believe how much faith he had in Heracross. He nodded, but still pleaded his concern. "I get what you're saying, man, but we've gotta do something and quick! Nidoking's pounding the crap out of him!"

Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "Just keep watching, Heracross just needs to hang on a little bit longer."

Jin and Vulpix turned their attention back to Heracross as Nidoking decorated his body in bruises.

Heracross could hear the cheering from the others telling him to hang in there. He didn't know how much longer he could last, but if Ayden had a plan, he had to risk everything to make certain it succeeded.

Rüdiger crossed his arms and laughed. "Now do you see? This is Nidoking's power! No one has ever taken this attack and kept on their feet! It was this power alone that ranked me up! Nidoking, end this now! Earth Power!"

Nidoking stopped attacking Heracross and stood still. The command came through, but Nidoking couldn't process it. It stood there as if it didn't know what to do.

Rüdiger balled his hands in frustration. "Nidoking! Don't just stand there like an idiot! Attack!"

Nidoking slowly raised its arm then lowered it on itself. It wobbled back and forth from the force of its own attack.

Rüdiger paused in shock. "W-what's going on? Why is Nidoking doing that?"

Ayden took a step forward. "Guess none of your opponents, prior to Heracross, were strong enough to take your Nidoking's attack head on. Thrash is a powerful move, but looks like you forgot about its secondary effect."

Rüdiger's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? What secondary effect?"

Ayden shook his head. "Second Lieutenant and you don't even know the effects of your own pokémon's attack? That's pretty pathetic."

Jin suddenly realized what Ayden had been waiting for the entire time. "Ayden, you mean…"

Ayden nodded. "Exactly, I was waiting for the moment when Nidoking would be done it by its own move. Thrash's secondary effect causes the user to become confused. That's why I chose Heracross for this battle. I've never seen a pokémon with a higher defense than my Heracross."

Rüdiger clenched his teeth and balled his fists to the point veins appeared on his face and hands. He couldn't believe this. There's no way he could've messed up like that. "You're lying! There's absolutely no way you could've predicted all this would happen! It's impossible! Are you expecting me to believe you've had all this planned out from the beginning?"

Ayden nodded. "I did. I knew you would teach Nidoking the most powerful of attacks. However, given Nidoking's type, earth and poison attacks wouldn't be able to do much against Heracross, would they? So, you decided to go for broke and use Thrash. You were so confident in Nidoking's power you never thought there would be a pokémon with a defense high enough to match Nidoking's strength. And now, Nidoking's confused and Heracross is in the perfect situation to bring it down with his next move."

Rüdiger laughed. Now he knew he was bluffing. There's no way Heracross could defeat Nidoking. Not in its current condition. "My Nidoking may be confused, but it'll only be temporary, the effects will go away and then I'll take you down, you little brat."

Ayden shook his head. "By the time the effects wear off, Nidoking will have already been defeated. Let me show you what I mean. Heracross, you ready? Use Reversal!"

Heracross gave Ayden a nod and positioned himself for the next attack. He balled his hands and focused all the damage he had received prior and channeled it into his hands. Heracross wound up and struck Nidoking in the chest, knocking the air out of the confused pokémon. Nidoking fell backward and hit the ground. Heracross fell on his knees gasping for air. He actually beat that scary-looking Nidoking.

Rüdiger stared at his defeated pokémon with unbelieving eyes. "But… how? How could it lose… with just one attack?"

Ayden walked up and stood next to Heracross. "Reversal is a move that becomes more powerful the lower the health the user has. Thanks to your barrage of attacks, you've helped clench the match for Heracross."

Ayden patted Heracross on the head. "You did great, Heracross, take a long rest."

Heracross smiled and Ayden looked back at Team Chaos. "Now, let all the Clefairy and Clefable go and leave them alone!"

Rüdiger couldn't take it. His Nidoking, his record, his promotion, everything fell apart. He had to do something. He had to make sure the plan still succeeded. "Everyone, grab a cage and some of the Moon Stone and get them back to headquarters! Do it now!"

At his command all the members scrambled to grab a cage or a bit of the Moon Stone.

Before they got too far, Jin turned to Vulpix and Clefairy. "Vulpix, Clefairy, let's take 'em out! Vulpix, Fire Spin! Clefairy, Metronome!"

Vulpix jumped into the air and shot the attack at the Chaos grunts. The flames danced around them trapping them all inside a wall of fire. Clefairy raised her two index fingers into the air and waved them back and forth.

Jin stared at Clefairy as she prepared the attack. He knew the risks of using Metronome, but he placed his faith in her just as Ayden placed his faith in Heracross.

Clefairy finished charging the attack and her fingers glowed a bright blue. Static charged between the two fingers and she fired the attack. Electricity rained down on the grunts shocking every one of them to the ground. Each one twitched on the ground as the electricity surged throughout their bodies.

Jin smiled and ran up to both Vulpix and Clefairy wrapping them both in a hug. "You both did great! That was awesome! Clefairy, you and Vulpix make a pretty good team. I was wondering, would you mind if I took a few notes of you and your friends for a bit?"

Clefairy looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

Jin smiled back and then turned to Ayden. "What should we do with them? Should we call the police?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, but first, I have an idea."

* * *

Mendy and Nami walked into the room and breathed a sigh of relief when they found the others there. They looked around in awe at what they saw. Clefairy and Clefable littered the room and a bunch of Team Chaos members stuck in cages.

Nami grinned. "Looks like you guys were busy, huh?"

Jin laughed. "Yeah, you can say that. We were just lending a helping hand to our friend over there."

Clefairy jumped up and down as all of her friends gathered around. They all formed two big circles and danced around the Moon Stone.

Mendy smiled. "This is so amazing. I'm glad we were able to see this."

Jin took notice to Mendy's condition. "Hey, you okay? What happened to you guys anyway? I looked back and you two weren't there."

Mendy took a quick look at herself and then waved her hand. "N-No, everything's okay. Nami and I just ran into some wild pokémon and I tripped trying to get away is all. Nothing to worry about."

Jin upturned his eyebrow then shrugged. "Well, okay, if you say so. We'll be in Cerulean City in a bit. We'll get you some bandages there."

Mendy's heart sank when he mentioned his plan. "Um… sure, yeah, sounds great."

Rüdiger banged against his cage. His body folded midway, making him resemble an elephant stuck in a cage built for a tiger. "Hey, you little brats! Open this up now! Let us out!"

Ayden walked up and knelt beside Rüdiger's cage. "The police from Pewter City will be here soon to deal with you all. Until then, sit tight and watch the Clefairy and Clefable dance."

Jin crouched in front of Clefairy and patted it on the head. "Hey, we have to get going now, but thank you for helping us out back there and for allowing me the chance to study you and your friends."

Clefairy looked up at him with a sad expression. She didn't think he'd have to go so soon. Clefairy turned to her friends. She was glad they were all safe, but she had a lot of fun teaming up with Ayden and Jin and wondered if she could go with Jin from now on.

The Clefairy and Clefable looked at each other for a bit and then smiled. Clefairy turned back to Jin and jumped up and down vigorously.

Jin looked at it then his eyes widened. "Clefairy, you don't want to come with us, do you?" Clefairy nodded her head and Jin smiled. He adjusted his glasses and pulled out a pokéball. "Okay then, welcome to the group, Clefairy." He tapped Clefairy on the head and she disappeared in a beam of red light.

Ayden tapped him on the shoulder while Mendy and Nami clapped their hands. "Congratulations, Jin."

Jin called Clefairy out and she hopped up onto his head. Jin looked up and saw Clefable come over and present him with a piece of the Moon Stone.

"Is it really okay for me to have it?" Clefable nodded and Jin took the stone into his hands. "Thank you. I promise, I'll take good care of it."

They bade goodbye to the Clefairy and Clefable then left the room and headed toward the exit.

* * *

Rüdiger and the others tried to shift around in their cages to get as comfortable as they could, but nothing seemed to help. "Damn! I'm gonna get that kid when I get out of here!"

They heard footsteps from down the hall and instantly fell silent. Raye entered the room and glared at the members.

They all felt relieved when they saw her and begged her to help them out of the cages. She walked up to them and knelt down in front of Rüdiger. "Depending on your answer, I just might let you all go. Tell me, who was it that orchestrated a mission to Solaceon Town eight years ago?"

Rüdiger smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about, little girl. Now hurry up and get us out of these cages."

Raye stood up and pulled a pokéball out. "I see. You too will feign ignorance, huh? That's a real shame. You had one chance, and you blew it. In that case…," She tossed her pokéball and Monferno came out. "You all can die. Monferno, Flamethrower."

Monferno launched the attack and surrounded the trapped members in the inferno.

The members struggled against the cages, but the flames heated them up. Their cries for help and for her to stop echoed throughout the caves, but Raye simply ignored them.

She stared at the members as they suffered in the fire. As much as she enjoyed the sight of them being tortured, it did nothing to sate her. She eyed the Moon Stone, broke a piece off, and stuffed it in her bag. With the cries of her victims ringing throughout the room, she turned and left.

* * *

Ayden and the others walked down the dirt road until they came to a fork with a sign in the middle.

Jin leaned over and read it. "According to this, Cerulean City is just down this road. All right then, Ayden, you can get your second badge there and we can also stock up on supplies while we're at it."

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, you ready, Piik? Let's go get our second badge."

Piik pumped her fists into the air as Jin and Ayden walked down the road, but Mendy and Nami stayed behind.

Nami placed her hand on Mendy's shoulder and whispered into her ear. "Hey, it's okay. We'll go get Squirtle healed up, watch him get his stupid badge, and blow out of there as soon as possible, okay? We won't be there for long. I promise."

Mendy gave a slight nod. They proceeded after Ayden and Jin and continued down the road toward Cerulean City, the one place she never wanted to return to.

* * *

 **Here's chapter 7! Sorry for the long wait. Things have been getting a little busy lately, and this is by far my longest chapter. Thank you again for taking the time to read my story. I hope you've been enjoying it so far. Chapter 8 will be posted in the upcoming weeks. As always, please let me know your thoughts on the story and have a great day.**


	8. Wanted

**CHAPTER 8**

It was around mid-afternoon when the group finally stepped into Cerulean City, and the lavish town's extravagant activities immediately surrounded them. They gazed at the multi-floor buildings, luxury cars, and crowded narrow sidewalks. The rich aromas of cafés and bakeries wafted toward them, filling their lungs with irresistible sensations.

Jin beamed with delight as his eyes darted from one part of the city to the next. He wanted to try all the stores and restaurants as a way to make up for all the years he'd been trapped in the boulder prison of Pewter City. "This place is amazing! Everything looks so fancy and expensive!"

Nami yawned and dug her hands into the pockets of her pink hoodie. "What's so great about it? It's just a city. Once you've been to one, you've been to them all."

Jin sniffed the air and a smile spread across his face. He looked around and saw a large, light blue café positioned across the street. It displayed a large red banner over its doors promoting their new flavor, a quadruple chocolate fudge mocha.

The sweet fragrance of chocolate relaxed his body and salivated his mouth. "Wow, no way! It's one of those Maid Cafés! I've always wanted to go to one of those! Why don't we all go check it out? We've been walking for a while now and we can use a bit of a break!"

Nami suddenly jumped in front of him. She flipped her ponytail to the back of her head and stared Jin down. "Uh, no, I have a better idea. Why don't we go straight to the Pokémon Center and then head over to the gym so this jerk can get his badge and then leave the city?"

Jin dropped his shoulders in disappointment. "But I wanted to try the café… and the bakery… and the malls."

Nami formed an 'x' with her arms. "Nope, sorry, not happening. Besides, you don't want coffee from this city anyway. Trust me when I say this, the cafés are overrated, the services are terrible, and everything on the menu is overpriced and under quality. You'd be better off going to one of the coffee shops in Vermillion City instead, right Mendy?"

Mendy nodded. "Exactly! The restaurants in Vermillion City are much better than the ones here. So, let's get going, shall we?"

Jin fell to his knees in disappointment. The anticipation that had been building up inside him for years suddenly fell through. His hopes and dreams dashed.

He looked up and around. "Hey, have you guys seen Ayden?"

Both girls looked around until Mendy spotted him at the end of the sidewalk, going into the Pokémon Center.

As soon as Ayden walked in, Nurse Joy greeted him. She wore her usual white hoopskirt nurse attire along with her bright smile. Her twin-looped pink hair bounced as she motioned a bow. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I help you today?"

Ayden placed his pokémon on the tray. "Just need a quick check up. We have a gym match today."

Nurse Joy nodded. "I understand. I'll have them ready for you in just a bit."

She looked over in the direction of the entrance as the doors flew open.

Mendy ran in followed by Nami and Jin. She ran up to Ayden and grabbed him by the shirt. "Okay, you really need to stop doing that! I'm tired of trying to find you! I already told you I'm not letting you out of my sight until you've paid me back for my bike!"

Nurse Joy eyed Mendy carefully. "Excuse me, Miss."

Mendy turned to the nurse and bowed. "I'm sorry, Nurse Joy, I know I was being loud, but this jerk really needed a talking to."

Joy waved her hands. "It's quite all right. I was actually thinking if I'd seen you somewhere before. You look awfully familiar."

Mendy perked up at that. "Uh, no, I'm pretty sure we've never met before. But more importantly, Nurse Joy, could you take care of my Squirtle. He got hurt pretty badly."

Joy took the pokéball from Mendy and gave a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of it."

She disappeared behind the double doors, leaving them alone with a few other trainers in the center.

Jin placed his hands on his hips as he walked up to Mendy. "That was weird. What do you think she meant by that?"

Mendy shrugged. "How should I know? Look, I would just like to get Squirtle healed and then head over to the next city, okay? Can we do that?"

Her voice caught the attention of the other trainers. One of them stared at Mendy for a bit, uncertain of what to do. Finally, she walked over and tapped her on the shoulder.

Mendy turned to see a girl around her age with long brown hair wearing a long-sleeved red shirt and a denim skirt. "Y-Yes, can I help you with something?"

The girl blushed for a second then looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry, and please don't think of me as weird for saying this, but you look really familiar. Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

Her friends, a tall boy with long jeans and jacket and another girl with skinny jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, approached soon afterward.

The tall boy placed his hands in his pockets. "She's right, you do look familiar. It's like it's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't quite seem to place it."

The skinny-jeaned girl crossed her arms. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm having a hard time placing it myself. What's your name?"

Mendy blinked as she realized the situation wasn't looking good. If any one of them figured out who she really was, she'd be in big trouble. She had to figure something out.

She looked over at Nami as she stepped in between them. "Uh, excuse me, but who are you people? I'm positive we've never met any of you before. Now if you don't mind, we're waiting on something and are really busy. I'd appreciate it if you left."

The three kids looked at each other and then shrugged. They went back to their couch and continued their previous discussion.

Nami crossed her arms in annoyance. "Good grief. Why can't people just mind their own business? You okay, Mendy?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, I'm good, thanks."

Nurse Joy came out carrying Ayden's pokémon on the tray and giving Piik a ride on her shoulder. "Ayden, your pokémon are doing really well. They're fighting fit and ready for your gym match. I wish you the best of luck."

The moment Piik spotted Ayden, she jumped off and ran toward him. Ayden retrieved his pokémon and then bowed. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

She smiled then glanced over at Mendy. "Miss, I'm sorry, but your Squirtle will have to stay a little while longer. Its injuries are more severe than I thought. It should be good as new in a few hours."

Mendy gave Joy another bow. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. I'll pick him back up after this guy has his gym battle."

She turned to Ayden then placed her hand on his shoulder. "Okay, you've got your pokémon, right? Then let's head over to the gym already. Come on!"

They walked outside with Mendy pushing Ayden from behind.

Jin ran up and tapped Mendy on her shoulder. "Hey, are you feeling okay? First Nurse Joy and then those kids? What exactly is going on here? What were they talking about? Were they friends of yours at some point?"

Mendy turned to him. Her face flustered with irritation. "What are you talking about? I've already told you I've never met any of those people before in my life! Now can we please just get to the gym?"

Jin heaved a sigh. He knew he had little to no chance of getting a straight answer from her. He decided it best to honor her wish and drop the subject. "Okay, fine, let's go. Hey, where'd Ayden go?"

They looked around and saw Ayden walking down the sidewalk. Mendy and Nami clenched their fists and ran after him. "Hey! We told you to stop doing that! Get back here and wait for us, you jerk!"

Across the street, two men in black business suits sat quietly drinking coffee. They both wore matching white gloves and black sunglasses, and eyed the group as they ran down the sidewalk. One of them took out a flyer with the picture of a young girl with long purple hair. The top of the page in large bold letters read 'WANTED'. They turned to each other, nodded, and made their way in the same direction.

* * *

Ayden and Jin followed Nami as she marched down the sidewalks with Mendy close by. Throughout the trip, Nami had been pushing for them to keep up as she constantly hastened her pace toward the gym.

Jin kept asking for her to slow down, but his request fell on deaf ears.

The group made it further into town until they came across a large domed building, festooned with images of water pokémon.

Jin looked up at the building and raised an eyebrow. "This… is Cerulean Gym?"

Nami gave an uncertain nod as she gazed at the building. "Uh… yeah, at least it's supposed to be anyway."  
Jin walked over to a sign near the entrance, leaned in, and tilted his head in confusion. He read it over to make certain he didn't misinterpret. "Uh, guys, check this out. According to this sign, this is the Cerulean City Aquarium. It doesn't say anything about a gym."

Nami ran up to the sign and read it over herself. "This doesn't make any sense. This is Cerulean Gym, I'm certain of it."

Jin adjusted his glasses then placed his hands in his pockets. "Maybe they moved the gym's location or something?"

Mendy shifted her attention from the sign to the door. "Well, why don't we just go in and see for ourselves?"

The rest of the group agreed and entered the building.

The inside featured what the sign advertised with large numbers of water pokémon swimming freely in the aquarium.

Jin and the girls watched in amazement as the pokémon gracefully swam through the water.

Ayden fell behind the group as they continued down the hallway. His breathing deepened as his eyes focused on the black abyss before him. He couldn't take his eyes off the water. How deep was it? How large did the aquarium stretch from one end to the other? How far below the surface was he?

His heart beat faster and sweat fell down his brow as images of being submerged under the murky depths unable to breathe or move quickly filled his mind. He clutched his chest and fell to his knees as his breathing shallowed.

Piik stared at him with concern. She'd never seen Ayden like this before. He always exemplified a strong will and determination. She never imagined something like this could shake him up.

She ran up onto his shoulder and placed her paw softly on his cheek.

His eyes widened and he turned to the smiling mouse. Looking at her face, his breathing returned to normal and his mind cleared itself of all its darkening thoughts. "Thanks, Piik. Come on, let's go."

Piik nodded and rode on his shoulders as he continued through the hallway and caught up with Jin and the girls.

The group navigated through the hallways, marveling at the abundance of water pokémon. They approached a set of double doors leading to a stadium with an indoor pool. Hundreds of cheering fans filled the bleachers as they watched the spectacle. A young teenage girl with long red hair, clad in a pink seashell bikini top and mermaid fin, dazzled the crowd with her swimming performance. She gracefully swam alongside her water pokémon, effortlessly performing moves no one thought possible.

Jin gasped and adjusted his glasses. "This is a… Pokémon Water show!"

Mendy and Nami gazed at the performer, admiring her skill. She looked just like a real mermaid the way she moved through the water. They wondered if they too could have a deep connection with the water like her.

The performer jumped out of the water and turned to her adoring audience. "Everyone! Thank you for coming to the Cerulean Water Show! I hope to see you again next time!"

The cheers grew thunderous as the lights dimmed. She got out of the water and made her way toward the back room where she slipped off her mermaid fin and grabbed a nearby towel. She walked down the hallway, drying off her hair when two teenage girls appeared before her.

One had long green hair while the other had short brown underneath a baseball cap. Both had on dark blue shorts and short-sleeved shirts with the word 'STAFF' written across their chests.

The green-haired girl carried a large duffle bag and a bottle of water in her hands while the one with the baseball cap carried a clipboard. "Great job as usual, Misty. You really had the crowd on their feet."

Misty took the water and chugged as fast as her throat could handle. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, how many more of these are there?"

The girl with the hat looked at her clipboard. "You have three more showings this week, completing this month, then ten back to back showings next week. I know it's tough without your sisters, but please try to hang in there."

Misty tightened her grip on the bottle, crushing out the last bit of water. "Damn those sisters of mine! How could they leave me here to take care of the entire gym all by myself? They don't think about anyone but themselves! Being the gym leader is grueling enough, but then I have to perform all of the water shows and take care of all the pokémon in the aquarium on top of that!"

She threw the crushed bottle onto the floor, and the green-haired girl quickly produced another one from her bag. "I know things are difficult now, but you still have us. Please don't think you're alone in this, Misty."

Misty sighed as she took the bottle from her. "You're right, guys. I'm sorry. It's just been so frustrating lately I guess the stress got to me. Can you guys look after the gym for a while? I need to go to the cape to cool off."

Both girls nodded. "Of course, take as much time as you need."

Misty smiled. "Thanks, guys, but make sure to call me if anything happens, okay?"

Misty disappeared down the hallway, leaving the girls alone. The green-haired girl turned to her friend. "What should we do? She's under so much stress lately. There has to be something we can do for her."

The brown-haired girl thought for a moment and then snapped her fingers. "I've got it. Misty doesn't have anything scheduled for the rest of the day, right? Why don't we give her some time to herself? By that, I mean defeat every trainer that comes to challenge her. It'll be perfect."

Her friend smiled. "Yeah, that's an awesome idea! Let's do it!"

They high-fived each other then turned to see a group walk toward them with a silver-haired boy leading the way.

The brown-haired girl tucked the clipboard under her arm and cleared her throat. "Yes, can we help you all with something?"

Ayden stepped forward. "Yes, I'm here to challenge the gym leader and obtain the Cascade badge. Where is she?"

The green-haired girl dropped the duffel bag onto the floor. "Someone's a little confident. You think you can just waltz right in and challenge Misty off the bat, huh? Well I have news for you, kid, no one challenges Misty without proving themselves worthy of her time."

The brown-haired girl dropped her clipboard and placed her hand on her hip. "That's right. If you want a chance to challenge her, you'll have to defeat the two of us first, but, I wouldn't count on it."

Nami stepped in front of Ayden. "Listen up, we're in a hurry, okay! Go get the gym leader so we can have the battle already!"

The green-haired girl smirked. "Misty has left us in charge of the gym for the time being. That means we determine the rules while she's absent… and they will stand. If you're so busy, then by all means leave."

Nami clenched her fists. "Hey, this isn't funny!"

Ayden placed his hand on her shoulder and moved her out of the way. "Fine, I just have to defeat you two before I can challenge Misty, right? Then let's go. Where's the battlefield?"

Both girls turned to each other and smiled. The brown-haired girl motioned for them to follow her. "The battlefield is over this way."

Nami turned to Ayden as he followed them out of the room. She couldn't believe this. Now they had to wait for the gym leader?

As everyone walked down the hallway, Nami stomped her foot. "Hold on! There's no way in hell, we're waiting two extra matches just for the gym leader to show up! We have someplace we need to be and we don't have time to wait around for you two to play gym leaders! If you want to fight them, fine, but we're leaving! We'll be waiting for you two at the entrance to Route 9!"

She and Mendy turned to leave when Jin reached out and touched her shoulder. "Hold on, Nami! You mean you guys aren't going to stay and help cheer Ayden on?"

Nami dropped her shoulders and looked at him as though he'd gone crazy. "Are you kidding me? I couldn't care less about this kid! All I care about is getting to the next town as quickly as possible! And I'm not going to wait around two extra matches before the actual gym leader! So, when he's finished, I want you to go back to the Center and get Mendy's Squirtle, Jin! We'll be waiting on Route 9!"

Jin stood frozen, unable to fully grasp what just happened. "Wait, why don't you go and get-,"

Nami turned around and glared at Jin, forcing all the strength out of his body. She grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him toward her. "Just do it! We'll be at Route 9!"

Jin nodded. "Okay, okay, you win. I'll get Squirtle for you."

She let go of his shirt and smiled. "Good, now if you'll excuse us." She then turned to Ayden. "And don't get the wrong idea! This doesn't mean you're off the hook, okay? We may have said we'd never take our eyes off you, but this is more important! You will pay for the bike! I'll make certain of it!"

The two disappeared down the hallway leaving Jin on the floor scratching his head. "Dang, sometimes I feel really out of the loop. And what's her deal anyway? Why are they in such a hurry to leave the city? It's a nice place. What do you think, Ayden?" He turned to see Ayden walking down the hall with the gym assistants. He scrambled to his feet and followed. "Hey! Wait for me!"

* * *

Mendy and Nami walked briskly out of the gym, determined to make it out of the city as quickly as possible. They knew if they could get to Route 9, they'd be in the clear. They just needed to get to the other side of town.

"Don't worry, Mendy, everything's going to be fine. I'll make sure of it."

Mendy grabbed Nami's hand and smiled. "I know… and thank you, Nami. You're really an amazing friend. I can't thank you enough for always being there for me."

Nami stared at her hand cupped in Mendy's then looked up and saw her smile. That genuine, one-of-a-kind, smile. Just seeing her smile meant more to her than all the 'thank you' praises in the world. If she could keep her smiling, she'd be content. Ever since that day, she vowed she'd never let Mendy experience that again no matter what.

Nami grinned. "You don't have to thank me. I'll always be there to protect you, Mendy. Well, come on, let's go."

They walked into town and made their way through the hordes of people. They came to an intersection and waited for the crosswalk sign to change.

Nami turned to see two men dressed in black business suits stare at them from across the street. She turned away avoiding their eyes. She slowly looked back to see them still staring.

Her heartbeat hastened. That couldn't be just coincidence. The light changed and they made their way across the street. The moment they moved, the men did as well.

Nami leaned into Mendy's ear and whispered. "We're being followed. Stay close to me."

She tightened her grip on Mendy's hand and they walked normally. The moment they turned a corner, they ran. They dodged the oncoming people to get distance between them and the suit-wearing men.

Mendy turned to Nami. "Who's following us? What did they look like?"

Nami panted as she kept up the pace. "I don't know. Two guys dressed in black suits wearing sunglasses."

Mendy's eyes widened and a sense of dread fell upon her. Not them. It couldn't be. Of all the people for them to run into, they had to hurry if they wanted any chance of getting out of the city. "Nami, quick, we have to get to Route 9 now!"

She quickened her pace and pulled Nami with her. "What? Do you know those guys?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, I do, and they're not the friendliest of people!"

They turned a corner to find the two men in black suits appear in front of them. Even though they wore sunglasses, Mendy could see the evil in their eyes. Those eyes had haunted her for years. She never imagined she had to face them again.

She eyed an opening and ran toward it. "Quick, this way!"

They took off back down the sidewalk and crossed the street with cars honking at them as they ran across. They turned another corner into an alleyway and found two more men in black suits waiting for them.

The girls breathed heavily as they backed up. They turned around and found the first two men approach them. They backed up against a wall as all four men slowly advanced.

Tears filled Mendy's eyes as the men closed in. "Please… Nami… just go."

Nami turned to her. "What are you saying? We've no time for that kind of talk now!"

Mendy shook her head. "It's too late! Please! You have no idea what they're capable of! Please, I can't let you get hurt because of me!"

Nami stood in front of Mendy with her arms stretched out, creating a barrier between the suits and her. "I don't care! I don't care what they do to me! I'll never let them or anyone else hurt you again, Mendy! I swear I'll protect you!"

Tears ran down Mendy's cheek. "Thank you… Nami."

Nami grinned. "If you want to thank me, then put on that award-winning smile of yours. That's all I need."

Nami popped her knuckles and took a fighting stance. "All right then! Who wants some?"

* * *

The girls led Ayden and Jin to the other side of the gym, where a separate pool awaited them. Both ends of the pool had a diving board. Beneath the surface of the water, the outlines of a standard battlefield could be seen with several mats floating within the pool.

The gym assistants walked to the other side of the stadium and the brown-haired girl stepped onto the diving board. "Welcome, Challenger, to the Cerulean City Gym. As you can see, this particular pool was designed specifically for gym battles. We wouldn't want the pool we use for shows to be damaged. Anyway, let's get down to business. We'll each use two pokémon. Only the challenger can substitute. There is no time limit. Are you ready?"

Ayden stepped onto his diving board and froze. He looked uneasily at the water below, but gave a sigh of relief as he stared at the bottom of the pool. As long as he could see the bottom of a pool, he'd be fine.

He looked back up at the gym assistant and gave a nod.

The brown-haired girl smiled. "Excellent. Those accompanying the challenger may take a seat in the bleachers. Careful of the first three rows though, they're splash zones."

Jin went up to the bleachers and sat in the top row. "Come on, Ayden! You got this, man!"

The brown-haired girl took out a pokéball. "I should warn you, Challenger, you won't be getting the chance to battle Misty. I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Misty walked near the cape of Cerulean city wearing a yellow tank top, denim shorts with red suspenders, and her hair tied up in a ponytail onto the side of her head. She stood staring out into the ocean thinking how nice it would be if she had a boyfriend.

Her cell phone rang, knocking her out of her daydreams. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. "Hello? Misty speaking."

The girl on the other end screamed into the receiver with a frantic and apologetic tone. "Misty! I'm so sorry! We need you back at the gym!"

Misty perked up. "What? Why? What happened? Is everything okay?"

The girl on the other end cried harder. "We wanted to give you the rest of the day off, but we just got one-shot by this kid with silver hair! We said he couldn't challenge you until he beat us! We didn't think he'd be this good! Please come back and avenge us!"

Misty shook her head. "I'll be right there."

* * *

Nami panted as the fight between her and the four suit-wearing men continued. No matter how many times she attacked, they kept blocking her and made sure to cover for the others' blind spots.

She couldn't ease up though. She had to protect Mendy no matter what. "Persistent bastards!"

Pulling up every ounce of strength she could muster, she charged at one of the men and high-jump kicked him into the brick wall. She turned to the other and roundhouse kicked him into nearby garbage cans. The last two attacked, but Nami expertly blocked them and countered. When the last suit-wearing man staggered to get up and collapsed, Nami breathed a sigh of relief. She dredged up her last bit of strength for that maneuver, she almost fell over in exhaustion.

She took several deep breaths then turned to Mendy. "I… I don't think they're gonna get back up this time. We're safe, Mendy."

Mendy gave her a hug around the neck. "Thank you again, Nami! You really are the best!"

Nami grinned and placed her hands on Mendy's arm. "Well, what did I tell you? I said I'd protect you, right? Come on, let's get out of here."

They walked out of the alleyway when one of the men caught Nami by the arm and wrestled her bag away from her. Another man restrained her while the other two slowly approached Mendy.

Nami struggled against them, but they wouldn't budge. "Damn it! How the hell are you all back up? I thought you guys were out cold! Mendy! Get out of here! Run!"

Mendy stood frozen in fear. She heard Nami telling her to run, but she couldn't move. Her legs ignored everything her brain told them.

Nami watched as they advanced toward her. With her strength gone, Nami couldn't break free. "Get away from her! If you touch her, I swear I'll make you regret it!"

The man holding Nami back pulled a stun gun from his pocket and pressed it to her neck. Her eyes widened and her voice resonated through the alley as the voltage traveled through her body.

Mendy gasped as she saw the stun gun being applied to Nami. "What are you doing? Leave her alone!"

She rushed at the men, but they held her back and forced her to the ground. She struggled, but couldn't get them off. "Nami! Nami! Can you hear me? Say something!"

Nami slowly opened her eyes and saw the men had Mendy pinned to the ground. She had to save her, but her body felt numb. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her body to move. "Men…dy."

Mendy's eyes widened as she saw the man holding Nami apply the stun gun again. "Wait! Stop! Don't hurt her! I'll go with you! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't hurt her!"

The man didn't listen and pressed the gun to Nami's neck. Nami's eyes blanked as the voltage surged through her.

Her body limped and Mendy teared up as she saw her hit the concrete. "Nami!"

* * *

Misty made it back to the gym and found her assistants crying on the floor. The moment they saw her, they ran up and hugged her legs, begging her to win the match.

Misty sighed. Just when she thought she could relax. She looked up and saw Ayden still waiting on the diving board with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

She walked to the other side and took her place. "I see you defeated my assistants, well done. Your name, Challenger."

Ayden opened his eyes and placed his hands into his jacket pocket. "Ayden."

Misty crossed her arms. "Well, Ayden, I'm happy to accept your challenge. Like your previous battles, we'll each use two pokémon with no time limit. Of course, the challenger is the only one allowed to use substitutions. Are you ready?"

When Ayden nodded, Misty pulled out a pokéball and threw it. "Great! Then let's get started! Let's go, Starmie!"

A large, purple, starfish appeared. It splashed into the pool and then floated to the top. It stood still in the pool, awaiting the arrival of its opponent. Its second set of arms rotated wildly in anticipation.

Ayden stared at Starmie. He had to make this quick. The assistants already took up too much of his time. "Piik, let's go!"

Piik nodded and jumped onto one of the floating mats.

The green-haired girl stood to the side of the pool and raised her hands. "Let the match between Gym Leader, Misty, and the Challenger, Ayden, begin! Start the battle!"

"Piik, Thundershock!"

Piik charged up her cheeks for the attack.

Misty smiled. "Starmie, Water Gun!"

Starmie wound up and shot a perfect stream of water at Piik. Before she could finish charging her attack, the water hit her directly in the forehead, knocking her off her feet. The attack left a huge bruise and she rolled on the mat, rubbing her head.

Jin stared in amazement and adjusted his glasses. "What the heck was that? That was incredible! I've never seen a Water Gun fired at that speed before!"

Misty's assistants both smiled. The sight of seeing Ayden's Pikachu getting shot down made them giddy. They knew they could count on Misty to take down uppity trainers like him. A few more hits like that, and it'll all be over.

Ayden stared at Misty. The speed of that attack could only have been executed from a really high-level pokémon. She definitely knew how to raise water-types, unlike her assistants. In that case, he just had to re-adjust his plan.

He shifted his gaze from Misty to her Starmie. He recalled everything he saw from Starmie's last attack. From the way it tilted its body, it allowed itself to have complete balance even while staying afloat in the water. The speed of its Water Gun moved slightly faster than that of a bullet, clocking in about 1700 miles per hour. Given the distance between Piik and Starmie, it made sense the attack connected like it did.

Misty crossed her arms. "What's the matter? Going down after one hit? That was simply Starmie's warm-up shot. We haven't even gotten serious yet."

Jin's jaw dropped. "What? You mean she wasn't even trying in that last attack? You've gotta be kidding me!"

Ayden closed his eyes and thought for a moment longer. His mind analyzing every aspect of the gym, every possible move Starmie could make, and which moves worked best under the circumstances.

When he finished his analysis, he opened his eyes. "Piik, are you okay?"

Piik stood up and rubbed her head until the bruise faded away. She turned back to Ayden and nodded.

"Okay, let's try this again."

Misty placed her hands on her hips. "I'm surprised Pikachu was able to stand back up. That Water Gun was the perfect head shot. I'll just make sure you don't get up again. Starmie, Water Gun!"

Starmie tilted back gearing up for the attack.

"Piik, Agility!"

Piik crouched down and then disappeared before Starmie's attack connected. She zipped around the battlefield from mat to mat, circling Starmie.

Starmie continued its assault, barely missing Piik with each strike.

Misty smiled. "Impressive speed. However, it's not going to be enough. Starmie, Ice Beam! Freeze all the mats!"

Starmie shifted its stance and fired a stream of ice on each of the floating mats, turning them into icebergs.

As soon as Piik landed on one of them, she lost her footing and slipped into the water.

"Starmie, attack Pikachu with Rapid Spin!"

Starmie dove underneath the surface and rotated its entire body like a purple saw blade.

Ayden lightly smiled. He'd been waiting for her to submerge Starmie and get in close. "Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and launched her attack. The field illuminated in bright yellow sparks. When the attack subsided, Starmie's unconscious body floated to the top. Piik soon surfaced and climbed onto a nearby frozen mat.

The green-haired girl looked on in shock. She couldn't believe it. Misty's Starmie had been defeated. She looked up at Misty who gave a nod. She didn't want to, but she had to referee the match.

She raised her hand in Ayden's favor. "Starmie is unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "Way to go, Piik."

Piik smiled and gave the peace sign.

Jin stood up in his seat. "Yeah! Way to go, you two! That's the way!"

Misty recalled her Starmie and gave the pokéball a kiss. "Thank you, Starmie. You were excellent as always. Take a good long rest. I'm amazed, Ayden. It's been a long time since anyone's knocked out Starmie. However, you won't be so lucky with this next one. Go, Quagsire!"

Quagsire emerged out of the ball and landed in the pool with a large splash. It had light blue slippery skin that made the water slide off it. Its dopey face gazed around the gym until it zeroed in on its opponent.

Jin leaned forward in his seat. "So, Quagsire is her second pokémon, huh? This outta make things a bit more interesting. How are you gonna combat this, Ayden?"

Ayden stared at Quagsire intensely. Something felt off. Its goofy expression hid something powerful. Also, it being a ground-type meant Piik's electric attacks would do nothing against it. "Piik, Quick Attack!"

Piik crouched down and charged at Quagsire in blinding speed. She zipped across the water and rammed Quagsire in the stomach. Quagsire barely felt the attack. Its gelatin-like body absorbed the blow leaving it unharmed. Piik tried to get a grip, but its body slipped through her paws and she fell into the water.

Both assistants smiled. They could hardly wait for Quagsire to take down that Pikachu. The green-haired girl tensed up her arm in preparation for Quagsire's win.

Misty grinned. "Sorry, Ayden, but those weak attacks and electric moves aren't going to work with this one. You'll have to be craftier than that if you want a chance to defeat Quagsire. Quagsire, Ice Beam!"

Quagsire jumped out of the pool and shot a ray of ice toward the pool's surface, covering it with a thick layer.

Piik tried to swim to the surface, but the ice blocked her. Ayden watched as Piik tried desperately to get out, but to no avail.

Misty placed her hand on her hips. "Don't worry, I won't let your Pikachu drown. Quagsire, Earthquake!"

Quagsire stood still and focused its energy as its body was veiled in an aquatic glow. It raised its foot and stomped the ice. Shockwaves ran across the surface, shaking the gym. Jin grabbed the bleachers to keep from falling over. The assistants rocked back and forth in order to keep their balance. Ayden and Misty both stood calmly, unfazed by the quake.

The shaking stopped and silence fell over the gym. The ice soon cracked and burst open. The pressure shot Piik to the bottom of the pool then back up, rocketing her to the ceiling. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she fell back into the pool, sinking to the bottom.

Jin jumped out of his seat, hoping to get a better view.

Ayden stared at Piik lying at the bottom of the pool. He looked up and saw Misty with a smile on her face. He didn't expect a move like that. He knew Quagsire feigned stupidity all the while concealing an amazing power. "Piik! Are you okay! You have to stand up! Piik!"

Piik's body ached. She could barely move. That attack did more damage than she thought it would. She thought about the Quagsire and how she couldn't beat it. Its slippery skin made it impossible for her to keep a grip and her electric attacks wouldn't have any affect.

As the thoughts filled her mind, she heard Ayden's voice. The images of Quagsire quickly became images of Ayden and how in the little time they've spent together, he did so much for her already. She swore her loyalty to him and help in any way she could. She couldn't afford to lose to this slippery slab of stupid. She had to win.

The assistants cheered as Piik continued to remain motionless at the bottom of the pool.

The green-haired girl readied her arm for the official call. "Pikachu is unable to battle, Quagsire is the-,"

She paused and her eyes widened when she saw Piik stand up in the pool. How could it take Quagsire's Earthquake and still stand?

Jin cheered, filling the gym with his voice. "Yeah, keep going, Piik, you got this!" He stomped his foot and clapped his hands to the beat of his own cheer. "Don't! Back! Down! Don't! Back! Down!"

Misty dropped her shoulders. "I'll admit, I wasn't expecting it to get back up. What a stubborn Pikachu you have there, Ayden. Quagsire, Ice Beam!"

Quagsire jumped out of the water and covered the surface with a thick layer of ice again.

Ayden stood his ground. He knew what came next. He looked down at Piik who gave him a nod.

Misty crossed her arms. "Well, Ayden, I must say your Pikachu put up quite a fight, but this will end it. Quagsire, Earthquake!"

Quagsire lifted its foot and readied to stomp the ice.

Ayden clenched his fists. "Piik, Thunder!"

Piik charged up her cheeks. She ignored her burning lungs and focused as much as she could. The sparks turned from yellow to blue volts. The voltages sparked outward and encircled her body then engulfed her in a sphere of violet electricity. She launched the attack just as Quagsire lowered its foot.

The ice's surface crumbled under Piik's attack. Chunks of ice erupted, hitting Quagsire and launching the pokémon into the air. It soared until it slammed into the ceiling. Chucks of ice quickly collided with it as it fell toward the water. At the moment, Piik jumped out of the pool meeting Quagsire in midair.

"Piik, Slam!"

Piik twisted her body and hit Quagsire with her tail. Quagsire soared and hit its head on the edge of Misty's diving board, knocking it unconscious. Piik then landed safely on Ayden's diving board.

The assistants dropped their shoulders as they watched Quagsire's body float to the surface. He beat Quagsire. How could he have beaten her ace with just one pokémon?

Misty knelt, picked Quagsire up, and gave it a hug. "Thank you, Quagsire, you deserve a good rest."

She recalled it back into its ball then stood up and walked off the diving board.

Ayden knelt down and picked Piik up. "Piik, thank you. You're the best."

Piik breathed heavily as she received her hard-earned reward hug.

Jin jumped up and ran from the bleachers, cheering and waving his arms.

As Ayden and Misty walked up to each other, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a light blue badge in the shape of a water drop. "As proof of your victory at the Cerulean Gym, I'm proud to offer you the Cascade badge. Congratulations."

Ayden bowed and took the badge from her hands. He gazed at it. Six more and he could enter the League.

Jin walked up clapping his hands. "Way to go, you two! That was an excellent match! Piik, you're really something, aren't you?"

Piik giggled and blushed.

* * *

Ayden and Jin waved goodbye to Misty and her assistants and made their way back to the Pokémon Center. Ayden gave Piik a chocolate bar to snack on while she rode on his shoulders.

A huge grin spread across Jin's face as he reminisced on the battle. "Dude, there's no end to the craziness in your battles! First Starmie, then the Quagsire, and you were super chill throughout the entire thing! And the way Piik attacked with that purple lightning… man, I'm really glad I got to see that! You're one awesome trainer, Ayden. You're gonna kill 'em at the League tournament. I just know it!"

Ayden looked at Jin then gave a light smile. He appreciated Jin's kind words. Never did he imagine his battling style could receive so much praise.

"Let's hurry to the Center and get Mendy's Squirtle. I'm sure they're waiting for us and ticked off we're taking so long."

They turned a corner and saw Nami walking toward them. She clutched her arm as she limped her way down the sidewalk. Bruises littered her legs and neck, splotches of dirt covered her pink hoodie and shorts, and blood trickled out the corner of her mouth. She fell to her knees the moment she spotted them. Never before had she been so relieved to see them.

Ayden and Jin ran up to her and Jin lifted her up. "Hey, Nami! Nami! What's wrong? Say something!"

Nami slowly opened her eyes. She looked at both boys and teared up, choking back every other word. "Please… help. They… took her. They took… Mendy. Please, we have to save her. We have to save her from them!"

Jin's eyes widened. "Wait! Hold on a second! Who's got Mendy? Where did they take her? What's going on?"

Nami lifted her head. She tried to answer, but passed out before she could.

"Hey! Nami! Nami! Wake up! Nami!"

* * *

A man, with short gray hair, stood in the middle of a large exuberantly decorated room. He wore a pure white military uniform festooned in lavish decorations. Epaulettes adorned his shoulders, diamonds sparkled on the back of his white gloves, and his walking cane held a large red beryl emerald. His wife sat in a chair, wearing a lavish outfit of a dazzling white dress that sparkled in the lighting of the room. She wore white elbow gloves and expensive jewelry hung from her neck and wrists.

They both looked up when a knock came at the door. A butler, dressed in a black suit, walked in and closed the door behind him.

He made his way to the center of the room and bowed. "Milord, we have the girl as per your request. She's ready to be brought in if that is what you desire."

The man with short gray hair gave a nod. "Go ahead and send her in."

The butler gave another bow. "As you command, Milord."

He walked back to the door and opened it up. The moment he did, a couple of the men in black suits and sunglasses walked in, leading Mendy in on a leash with her arms bound behind her back in cuffs connected to a collar. When they reached the center of the room, they forced her onto her knees. As soon as she sat on the floor, the men in suits gave a bow. The gray-haired man waved them away and they quickly left, closing the door behind them.

Mendy sat still and kept her eyes on the floor. She couldn't believe it. She had been brought back to the one place she vowed she'd never return to. Unlike before, she couldn't see herself escaping. Her thoughts vanished when the man approached her. Each click of his cane and step of his foot hastened her heartbeat. She looked up and saw his fierce expression, the same expression that never failed to shake her to her core.

He stood over her with his cane nailing the leash to the floor. He glared down at her unable to hide his disdain. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

She stared at him for a moment longer before she finally found enough voice to speak. Her voice shook as she continued to stare at him. "Hello… Father."

* * *

 **Here is chapter 8! Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you've been enjoying it so far. As always, please let me know your thoughts on the story. Chapter 9 will be posted in the upcoming weeks. Thank you again and have a great day!**


	9. The Day We Met

**CHAPTER 9**

The large room was bathed in the hue of the afterglow of the setting sun as Mendy sat on the marble floor bound to the chain held in place by her father's favorite cane. She shivered in the deafening silence as she gazed up at her father's glaring expression. She looked over at the icy stare of her pencil-statured mother as she sat cross-legged on the cushioned seat. She had long dark purple hair that cascaded down to the floor.

Mendy shifted her gaze back to her father as the large man tightened his grip on his crimson-jeweled cane. "Margarete, just what is the meaning of this? How much longer are you going to act like a child? Running away from home just so you can go off play around on some pointless travels! Neglecting your responsibilities to your family! And to top it off, you've sullied the image of Yarrington in your wretched state! To cut off your hair, the symbol of your bloodline, proves you've no regard for the traditions of the Yarrington family! Just how much longer do you intend to embarrass us?"

Mendy gazed at the floor and mumbled. "I… I didn't do it to embarrass you."

He raised his cane and struck her in the shoulder. Her eyes widened and her voice bellowed throughout the room.

He then lifted her head up with the end of the cane. "I don't recall giving you permission to speak! You spend a couple months away from home and already you've lost all your upbringing! You worthless girl!"

Fear quickly took over and tears formed in her eyes as all the memories came surging back.

She bowed her head until it touched the floor. "I'm so very sorry, Father, it won't happen again! Please, forgive me!"

Mendy's mother stood up and closed her fan. She walked over as though she glided across the room with her hair following her like an entranced snake. "And why should we forgive you, Margarete? You've done nothing short of dishonor the family and ruin our image."

Mendy turned to her as she approached. "Mother, it wasn't my intention to-,"

Her father struck her again and her screams filled the room.

Her mother shook her head as she gasped for breath. "You always were slow when it came to learning. So, let me be clear so that even someone of your intellect can follow. You are not to say a word. You are to sit still and listen to what we say. Now, do you understand?"

Mendy reeled from the blow to her shoulder. She had no way of getting out of this. She had no choice but to comply. She slowly lifted her head and gave a nod.

"Good. Wentworth, go ahead."

Wentworth nodded. "Thank you, Vivian. Now then, Margarete, you do recall the ceremony you were supposed to attend, right? Your engagement ceremony." Mendy's eyes widened. "Our traditions clearly state, the daughter shall be entered into the engagement ceremony at thirteen years of age. And yet, you dishonored our traditions and ran away from your responsibilities to your family. Well, just to make sure there isn't a repeat of last time, you will be watched and guarded at all times until the ceremony is over. Solare, come here."

The doors opened and a moment later, a middle-aged maid walked into the room. She had long blonde hair and green eyes behind rectangular-framed glasses. "Yes, Milord."

Wentworth pointed at Mendy with his cane. "Take Margarete up to her room and make sure it's secure. I don't want to have another incident like before."

Solare bowed. "As you command, Milord."

Mendy's eyes widened as she realized something wasn't right. She bowed her head. "Father, may I have your permission to speak."

He gave her an annoyed look. "What is it?"

Mendy lifted her head. "Father, where's Mr. Owen? He's my caretaker, isn't he? Where is he? What's happened to him?"

Wentworth grinned. "Mr. Owen is no longer employed with us. We've come to realize he had been unusually easy on you. One could say he even spoiled you. It's that kind of behavior that led to your running away. We've no need for soft fools like him filling your head with nonsense. Now then, Solare, take her up to her room, clean her up, and put her in some real clothes. Those trashy excuses of clothing are making me sick."

Solare bowed again. "As you wish, Milord." She went over and retrieved the chain connected to Mendy's collar. "This way, Lady Margarete."

She pulled on the chain and jerked Mendy onto her feet.

Mendy couldn't believe any of all that had happened. No matter what she did, it proved useless. Her eyes blanked as she slowly followed Solare out of the room.

* * *

Night soon fell over Cerulean; the stores closed up for the day and Nurse Joy finished closing up the Pokémon Center. After securing the final lock, she headed back into the lobby where Ayden and Jin waited for her with Nami lying on the couch. Joy removed her hoodie, revealing a red short-sleeved T-shirt, and began applying ointment and bandages.

Ayden and Jin watched while Nurse Joy finished the treatment and placed a blanket over before standing up. "I'm afraid this is all I can do for now. I'm not that proficient with human treatment."

Jin shook his head. "No, you did more than enough. Thank you, Nurse Joy. We're sorry for coming to you with this on short notice."

She smiled. "It's quite all right. I can say this. Her injuries weren't severe, so she'll be fine after some rest. Although, she will have to take it easy for a bit. I have to take care of the pokémon in back. Please, feel free to call me if you need anything else."

Both boys bowed and thanked her. She smiled and left for the back room.

Jin looked back at Nami and balled his hands. "Who could've done this? This is way beyond cruel. What did she do to deserve something like this?"

Nami tensed up and tightened her grip on the blanket. "Men…dy."

Ayden stared at Nami as she slowly took in breaths. His mind tried to find the answer to Jin's question. Team Chaos? Did they attack her and kidnap Mendy to get to him? He had to know who was behind this and why. Nami had all the answers. He just had to wait for her to wake up.

* * *

Rose entered a brightly lit room filled with Team Chaos members seated at a table. Each member stood up and gave a salute as she walked in. She waved them down and took her seat. It became that time of the week when she would receive briefings on the various missions she assigned her subordinates. She never particularly cared for them and found them tedious at best. However, being the Captain, it came with the job.

She sat at the end of the table and awaited for the first person to start.

One member stood up and bowed. "Captain Rose, Chaos Second Lieutenant Gebbert reporting. We've received news of the team we deployed to Mt. Moon. Unfortunately, they were all arrested by the time we arrived. That's not all. It seems they were attacked and gravely wounded. Each of them had severe burns throughout their bodies. If the police hadn't gotten there in time, they all would've been dead."

Rose upturned an eyebrow. "Gravely wounded? Severe burns? By whom?"

Gebbert shook his head. "We're not sure at this time, Ma'am. We can confirm the perpetrator had a fire-type with them… a powerful one. We have reason to believe it might be one the Carrier's pokémon."

Rose sat in silence and thought for a moment. From what she's heard of Ayden from the previous reports, this didn't sound like something he'd do. "No, it wasn't the Carrier. Someone else attacked them and I want to know who did it. Make sure to get as much details as you can. I want nothing left out."

Gebbert nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

Rose nodded. "Thank you, Gebbert. Second Lieutenant Gabi, what's the latest?"

Gabi stood up, bowed, and cleared her throat. "Captain Rose, we have located the first fragment of the Red Chain. It is located in Cerulean City, Ma'am. We're ready to dispatch a team to retrieve it at your command."

Rose nodded. "Good, this is a key factor in implementing our plans. Make sure this team obtains that fragment at all costs. Mt. Moon was embarrassing enough. I will not allow any more failures to take place. Am I clear?"

Gabi nodded and bowed. "Yes, Captain Rose. I'll make sure we obtain that fragment. We will not fail you."

Rose glared at her. "See to it you don't. If that is all, dismissed."

Each member stood up, gave a salute and walked out of the room.

Rose remained in her seat and twirled a lock of her hair. "Someone other than the Carrier took down my men? Interesting."

* * *

The sun streamed brightly as a young girl walked along Cerulean Cape. She wore pink shorts, a green shirt, and a baseball cap. Band-aides had been applied to her nose and cheek, and in her hands she held a baby Azurill, a small blue pokémon with a long zigzag tail and round ears.

She saw another young girl crying on the edge of the cape. She wore a blue sundress and had long lilac-colored hair that cascaded down her back and onto the ground. The young girl had never seen anything so lovely before. She looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

She walked up to the crying girl with a smile on her face. "Hey, why're you crying?" The girl in the sundress turned and backed away in fear as she took notice to Azurill. The grin on the young girl with the baseball cap turned into a frown. "Hey, why're you running away?"

The girl in the sundress pointed at the small blue pokémon. "What… what is that thing?"

The girl looked at Azurill and grinned. "Oh, him? This is my friend, Azurill. He's a pokémon."

The girl in the sundress blinked in confusion. "A… pokémon?"

The girl in the baseball cap nodded. "Yeah! Don't you know about them? They're amazing creatures that are all over the place. They each have their own powers and do lots of neat stuff."

The girl in the sundress shook her head. "No, I've never seen a pokémon before. I've never even been outside my home. Mother and Father won't let me."

The girl in the baseball cap tilted her head. "What? That's boring. Well here, come on, say hi to Azurill. He's still a baby, but he's full of energy. Here, go ahead and pet him."

The girl in the sundress hesitated before extending her hand out. The moment she touched Azurill's skin, his tail wagged back and forth and he laughed.

The sight of it laughing caused a smile to spread on her face. "I've never done this before! This is fun!"

The girl in the baseball cap grinned. "I told you! Isn't he the cutest? I'm Nami, by the way. What's your name?"

The girl in the sundress stood up and curtsied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nami, my name is-,"

* * *

Nami gripped her blanket and tossed her head from side to side as sweat fell down her brow and she sprang up. "Mendy!"

She took in heavy breaths as sweat dampened her shirt and sheets. She held her head as her wounds took their toll and the pain from earlier caught up with her.

She looked around the room still half-asleep. "Where… am I? Oh God, my head."

Jin walked up to her carrying a tray of bandages. "You're at the Pokémon Center. Try to take it easy. You were in pretty bad shape when Ayden and I found you. But you should be good to go after getting some more rest."

The Pokémon Center? Get some rest? Nami shook her head. "We can't stay here! We have to go and help Mendy! Come on!"

Jin applied pressure on her bandaged arm with his index finger. Pain surged through her and she plopped back onto the couch. "And how do you expect to rescue her in your condition? Don't worry. We'll help her, but we need to know all the details first. And for that, you need to be back at one hundred percent. So, just relax and take it easy for now."

She didn't want to admit it, but he had a point. For now, she had to focus on getting some rest.

She looked around and saw Ayden walk up with an armful of ointments and medications. "Wait a minute. You're still here? I thought you would've gotten your second badge already?"

Jin smiled. "Oh yeah, he got it. Beat Misty with just Piik. You should've seen it. It was unbelievably awesome."

Nami stared at Ayden. "Then why? This is the chance you've been waiting for, right? I thought for sure you would've taken off by now. You've no other reason to stay here. So why?"

Ayden stared at her for a bit. His mind filled with the image of her tear-stained face pleading for them to help her save Mendy, someone dear to her. Her genuine request that came from her heart reminded him of that day, a day he could never forget no matter how hard he tried.

He placed the ointment and medications on the table next to the couch and handed her a juice box. "Drink this and get some rest. Don't exert yourself too much. We'll talk more in the morning."

Nami took the drink and then looked at him with disgust. "Who are you to give me orders? Just what are you playing at?"

Jin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Nami. Do friends really need a reason to help each other out? He carried you on his back all the way here because he wanted to."

Nami blinked in confusion then stared at Ayden as he headed for the bedrooms. "Me… friends with… him? Hey!" Ayden placed his hand on the doorknob and stopped. "Okay, let's get one thing straight! Don't go getting the wrong idea! I still don't consider you a friend! It'll take a lot more than that to make me forgive you for what you did to Mendy! However, I…," she tightened her grip on her blanket as she forced herself to spit the words out, "…will thank you. You didn't have to do that."

Ayden turned the knob. "You're welcome."

Ayden closed the door behind him and Jin turned back toward Nami. He replaced her bandages and helped her with her drink. "You know, Ayden isn't the big bad guy you make him out to be. I'm sure if you took the time to get to know him, you'll see what he's really like. Anyway, that's my two cents on the matter, I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."

The moment he left, Nami laid back down and took a sip of her juice. The thought of Ayden carrying her all the way across the city to the Center swam through her mind. "He… really did that?"

* * *

The morning sunlight streamed through the open curtains and illuminated the vast room. Her bed sat in the corner complete with large fluff pillows and the softest blankets in Kanto. A part of her felt nostalgic walking through her old room, but those feelings quickly faded as soon as she discovered what had become of it.

The windows had been outfitted with iron bars and her door locked from the outside. Only her parents and a few of the house staff held keys for it. She always thought her home felt like a prison, she never imagined it would take a literal form.

Clad in a dazzling light blue dress and festooned in jewelry, she couldn't remember I time she felt more uncomfortable. She could barely walk straight, the corset choked her torso, and her shoes gave her blisters just from walking around her room.

The door unlocked and Solare walked in followed by two men in black suits. "Lady Margarete, your presence is required by order of Lord Wentworth. You will come with me now. These two will be your escorts. You will be escorted by them regardless of where you go until the ceremony has finished."

Mendy stared at her for a moment. No matter how she looked at it, she had no chance of escaping. There had to be some way she could get out and find Mr. Owen. "First, tell me something. What happened with Mr. Owen? Where is he now?"  
Solare shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lady Margarete, but I'm afraid I don't have the answers to those questions. All I can tell you is he has been relieved of his duties and I have taken his place. Your father has also afforded me extra privileges as your new caretaker."

Mendy scowled. "And I'm sure all that means is he gave you permission to be my own personal prison warden, right?"

Solare adjusted her glasses. "I've been given strict orders from your parents to ensure you are under careful watch. Everything you do will be monitored."

Mendy balled her hands. "Regardless of traditions, what you're doing is an invasion of privacy!"

Solare glared at her. "If you hadn't run away, such drastic actions wouldn't be necessary. However, if you insist on acting like a dog, you will be treated as such." Mendy scowled at her, holding in her anger as best she could. "Now, Lady Margarete, enough foolishness. You will now be escorted to the Grand Hall. And I should hope there won't be any more objections. Whether you want to or not, the ceremony will take place. It is your duty as the sole heir of the Yarrington family. Gentlemen."

At her command, the two men walked up to Mendy and stood at her side. They then escorted her out of the room.

Mendy racked her brain on what to do, but nothing came to mind. She lowered her head in defeat as all her options had been blocked. She teared up when she started thinking about Nami and how she might never be able to see her again.

Solare eyed Mendy and clicked her tongue. "For Heaven's sake, Lady Margarete, please keep your composure. Back straight, head up, eyes forward. You are representing the Yarrington family. Please show some dignity. I know you lost some of it while you were off doing God-knows-what, but I didn't think you lost that large an amount."

Mendy straightened up and wiped away her tears. "Sorry, Miss Solare. I've a lot on my mind."

Solare shook her head. "Well, forget all that and focus on what's in front of you. Your parents said you get distracted easily, but this is embarrassing. For a member of the Yarrington family to lose her mind over something so childish and idiotic is unheard of."

Mendy couldn't take it anymore. She could stand being locked up and forced to obey the rules of her family, but she couldn't take it when anyone mocked Nami.

She turned around and faced Solare only to be held back by the guards. "Don't insult her! She's my best friend! I don't care what you say or do to me, but don't you dare speak badly about her!"

Solare walked up and slapped her. Mendy froze and stared at Solare with a blank face. "Do not raise your voice, Lady Margarete. It is unbecoming of a lady born from the Yarrington bloodline. As for your 'dream', you can forget it. You have far more important responsibilities to worry about than playing make-believe. You are the heir to the Yarrington family, you must be ready for all that's to come with that. Now, enough talk. You'll be late for the arrival of our guest. Come."

She snapped her fingers and the guards each held one of Mendy's arms and walked her down the hallway. Soon Mendy found herself standing in front of the Grand Hall doors.

The hallway had been populated with her family staff as well as her parents. Even with all the people gathered there, no one spoke a word. Her fiancée would emerge from behind those doors in a matter of moments.

She looked off to the side and saw her parents standing next to the doors. They had been waiting for this day for quite some time and made every precaution to ensure nothing went wrong, including her escaping.

Shortly after, one of the butlers walked briskly to the doors. He gave a bow and straightened up. "Presenting, his highness, Prince Elliott Montcroix."

The doors slowly opened and a smiling young man emerged. He wore a white uniform with epaulettes on each shoulder, white gloves, several ornaments and decorations across his torso, and a sword attached to his belt. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes.

He walked up to Mendy's parents and gave a bow. "Lord and Lady Yarrington, it is a pleasure."

Vivian gave a curtsy. "Prince Elliott, it is our pleasure to welcome you into our home."

Wentworth stood with his arms crossed. "Welcome, young Elliott. I trust you had a safe trip."

Elliott smiled. "It was delightful. Thank you again for having me. I sure do look forward to the ceremony."

Wentworth nodded. "As do we, Elliott. The bloodline of the Yarrington family will continue and having you as a son-in-law would be perfect."

Elliott bowed. "You humble me with your kind words, Lord Yarrington. Being the chosen fiancé to your daughter is truly an honor."

He looked up and saw Mendy in the middle of the hall. Her guards had moved away to the side and stood at attention.

Elliott walked up to Mendy and gave a bow. "Lady Margarete, an honor it is."

Mendy reluctantly gave a curtsy. "Prince Elliott, the honor is all mine. I welcome you to our home."

Elliott reached over and grabbed her by the chin. Mendy wrestled against his grip, but he held on tight.

He examined up and down her person and then released her. "Hm, must say, there really isn't much to look at, but I'm sure you'll grow into something likable."

He snapped his fingers and his guards came around and held Mendy's arms and applied a collar around her neck, locking it in place.

Mendy looked at Elliott with confusion. "Prince Elliott, what is the meaning of this? Please take this off me at once!"

Elliott smiled and placed the key to her collar in his jacket pocket. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Lady Margarete. That collar allows me to be aware of where you are at all times. Your parents have informed me about your rebellious nature, and I can't have that kind of behavior in my wife."

Mendy's eyes widened. "What do you mean? What are you talking about? I don't remember any talks about that!"

"It's just as it is. Your parents have promised you to me and our families will be united in a beautiful union. However, from what I hear, you like to hang around commoners and play with creatures. That kind of behavior will not be tolerated from any wife of mine. I can assure you though, you'll only have thoughts of me by the time our engagement is over."

Mendy gritted her teeth as her anger grew. She struggled against Elliott's guards hoping she could break free long enough to hit him. "You sick pervert! I refuse to be married to someone like you!"

Elliott grabbed her by the chin again. "I don't recall giving you permission to speak. As my wife, you must really learn your place. Regardless of how you feel about me, nothing you say or do will change the course of this wedding. Now then, shall we sit down for some breakfast?"

* * *

The sunlight gleamed through the windows of the Pokémon Center as Nami lay on the couch wide awake, thinking about Mendy. Images of the men in suits clouded her mind along with the look of horror on Mendy's face as she fell into their hands.

Nami clenched her fists in frustration. "I… couldn't save her. She was right there, and I couldn't save her. I couldn't do anything to help her."

She heard a door creak open and saw Jin and Ayden walk out. Piik rode on Ayden's shoulders as they entered the room.

Jin sat beside her and checked her bandages. "So, how're we feeling? Do you think you've got some strength back?"

Nami sat up and punched her palm. "Hell yeah. I'm ready to go. Come on, let's do this."

Ayden stood with his arms crossed. "Hold on. Before we go off declaring war on someone, tell us exactly what's going on. How did you end up in this condition? Who took Mendy, and why? Give us all the details."

Nami looked at him with contempt, but she then remembered what Jin said about how he carried her to the Center. She turned away from his gaze. "Quit ordering me around! Why should I tell you of all people anything?"

Jin placed his arm on her shoulder. "Please, Nami. We can't help if we don't know what's going on. Can't you set aside your anger for Ayden for now? At least until we rescue Mendy? Then you can hate on him as much as you want."

Nami looked down at her lap and tightened her grip on her blanket. She didn't have time to worry about Ayden. She had to save Mendy; and if it meant partnering up with him, then so be it. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you all you need to know."

* * *

Mendy and Elliott were taken to the highest balcony of her family's estate. Elliott sat at a table sipping a cup of tea. His blonde hair sparkled in the morning light along with his blinding white suit.

Across from him, Mendy sat with her hands on her lap. Her gaze shifted from Elliott and his arrogant face, to her surroundings, hoping there would be some way out she could use. Her bodyguards stood on each side of her, taking extra care she wouldn't try to run away and Elliott's bodyguards stood in front of the doors. Even if she could get passed all of them, the collar around her neck would instantly notify Elliott of her location. No matter how many times she analyzed it, she couldn't see any potential escape route.

They sat in silence until Elliott set his cup down and then looked at Mendy, who in turn gave him a dissatisfying expression. "You don't seem to be enjoying yourself, Margarete. You haven't even touched your tea. Isn't everything to your liking? I've made sure everything was perfect for our breakfast together."

Mendy averted her gaze. "So, I take it you enjoy making your company feel imprisoned and uncomfortable?"

Elliott chuckled. "Oh, Margarete, you act like I'm a villain or something. I'm only doing this to make sure you turn into the perfect wife. The next three years will be your training period. And I can assure you, you'll become the finest wife."

Mendy tightened her grip on her dress and gritted her teeth. "You're really full of it, you know that! Forcing someone to be your wife and taking away her freedom! What gives you the right to even do this?"

Elliott sighed and picked his cup back up. "Oh Margarete, how quickly we forget. These are the traditions of nobility going on for generations. It's not merely a question of whether I have the right or not, it is just the way things are and how they've always been."

Mendy furrowed her brow. "Traditions? That's a bunch of crap, and you know it! What kind of traditions forces someone to take on a life they don't want? This is nothing short of slavery!"

Elliott narrowed his eyes at her and set his cup down. "I really don't like that tone you're giving me. You should learn to respect your future husband more. I think you need to be reminded who's in charge of whom."

He snapped his fingers and his butler came out with two plates of food. He set each plate in front of them, bowed, and then took a couple steps back.

Elliott tucked his napkin onto his lap. "I've taken the liberty of ordering for both of us. I hope you enjoy the selection."

Mendy looked at her plate and gasped. She clamped her hand over her mouth and looked up at Elliott as he picked up his silverware. "W-What is this?"

Elliott smiled. "I thought you would've recognized it. I heard it was your favorite… clam omelet."

He cut into his golden omelet and bits of clam oozed out along with the melted cheese.

Mendy recognized the pattern and coloring of the clam. Her stomach gurgled and her breathing hastened as she watched him take a bite. "B-But that's, I mean, the clam is…"

Elliott cut another piece off his omelet. "What else would it be? My butler found the perfect clam to make this omelet. I believe some refer to it as a creature called Shellder."

Mendy's eyes widened. She jumped from her seat and fell to her knees. She could no longer hold it in and vomited on the balcony.

Elliott chuckled and the rest of his staff laughed. "Why, Margarete, if you didn't have the stomach for it, you should've said something sooner."

Mendy wiped her mouth and looked back at him. "You… you bastard! How could you do something so horrible?"

Elliott stood up and walked toward her, picking up her plate in the process. He knelt beside her and pulled back her head by her hair. "What I'm doing is making sure a worthless girl like you fits in with our world. Do you understand how many girls would kill to be in your shoes? Lavish home, expensive food, clothing, jewelry, servants, everything a girl could want to ensure her every princess fantasy comes true. You, on the other hand, show no gratitude toward your upbringing and rather throw it all away and for what? Interacting with common filth and absurd creatures? Well here, if you want it so bad, go ahead and talk to your friend."

He shoved her plate into her face. Mendy took a look at the omelet and the bits of Shellder in it. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted.

Elliott placed the plate back on the table and snapped his fingers. His bodyguards came up to him in an instant. "Take her back to her room, clean her up, and make certain she doesn't try to escape. The last thing I need is to track her down while I'm at my meeting."

His guards gave a nod. "As you wish, Prince Elliott."

Elliott stood up and dusted himself off. "Also, while we're at it, make the announcement. I want this done as soon as possible without any possibilities of interruptions."

His guards gave another nod. "Of course, Prince Elliott."

* * *

Ayden and Jin took their seats across from Nami, eagerly awaiting the details to her connection with Mendy.

Nami sat up on the couch and wrapped the blanket around herself. She thought back to when she first met Mendy. How could she forget? Her sky-blue dress and her majestic lilac hair had been etched into her memory so clearly, she sometimes believed it to be a dream. She could still feel the warm breeze and the cool spray of the ocean as she and Mendy stood on Cerulean Cape for the first time together.

Mendy's hair billowed in the wind like a silk drape at an open window. She curtsied and looked back up at Nami. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nami, my name is Margarete Eleanora Natalia Delafontaine Yarrington."

Nami's face blanked as the name swam through her head. "M-Margarine? Elephant? Ah! That's too long a name!"

Margarete dropped her shoulders. "I know, I hate it too. It's too long to say and I hate having to say it every time."

Nami tilted her head. "Why don't you ask them to shorten it, or give you a nickname?"

Margarete looked up at her. "Shorten it?"

Nami smiled. "Yeah, you know, something that's quick and easy to remember instead of that really long name."

Margarete smiled back. "Yeah, that'd be great! I'd love to have a nickname!"

Both girls giggled and looked down the hill to see an elderly man run around in a panic. He wore a black suit with white gloves. "Lady Margarete! Lady Margarete! Where are you? Please say something, Lady Margarete!"

Margarete peered over and waved her hand. "Mr. Owen! I'm up here!"

He looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. He ran up the hill and gave Margarete a hug. "Oh, Lady Margarete, I'm so glad you're safe. Please don't do that again. I was worried sick."

Margarete lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Owen. Mother and Father yelled at me again."

He noticed the tears welling up in her eyes and gently wiped them away. "It's okay, Lady Margarete. They just want the best for you is all. They want you to grow up into a fine young lady and lead a wonderful life. Now come on, let's go home."

Nami stepped forward. "Wait! You're taking her back now? But I just met her and we were going to play some more."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid Lady Margarete won't be able to continue her activities with you today, young lady. We have to go back. Come, Lady Margarete."

They walked away and Margarete looked back over her shoulder at Nami. She didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay with her new friend. She wanted to play with that pokémon more.

She looked up at him and tugged his arm. "Mr. Owen, I… I want a nickname!"

He looked down at her with bewildered eyes. "Lady Margarete, why ever for? You have such a beautiful name as is. Where on earth did you ever get the idea you needed a nickname?"

Margarete pointed to Nami. "That girl over there. She told me there's this thing called a nickname. I want one. My name is too long and it gets hard to repeat every time I introduce myself."

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know it seems difficult right now, but in time you'll grow accustomed to it."

Margarete shook her head. "No, I want to play with her some more and learn more about pokémon. She showed me what they're like and they're fun and cute and all kinds of stuff."

He dropped his shoulders. "I know you're interested and want to try out new things, but your parents already have your future set for you. They're not going to let you stray away from your duties, much less give yourself a name outside the one they gave you. It's just not how they do things."

Margarete looked down and started to cry.

He smiled and placed his hand on her head. "However, I've always been a firm believer in following one's own dreams. If you like pokémon that much, then I'll do what I can to help you. First off, this nickname for you. Young lady! Could you come over for a moment?" Nami ran over and looked at him with a confused expression. "Lady Margarete says you're the one who gave her the idea for a nickname. Is this true?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, her name's too long to remember."

He smiled and nodded. "I agree. It really is too long a name. So, how about we shorten it to something that'll only be between the three of us, and please forgive my rudeness, young lady, my name is Abdiel Owen. What's yours?"

Nami smiled. "My name is Nami, and this little guy is Azurill. I'm gonna be a pokémon trainer someday. It's nice to meet ya, Gramps! So, what nickname are we going to give her?"

Abdiel thought for a moment then snapped his fingers. "Why not… Mendy? You take the first letter out of each of your names and put them together. What do you think? Does that sound good to you, Lady Margarete? I mean, Mendy?"

Margarete thought for a second. She then put on a smile. It was short and really easy to remember. "I really like it! Thank you, Mr. Owen! What do you think, Nami?"

Nami smiled. "I like it too! I can easily remember that one!"

Abdiel smiled. "Then it's settled. Your new name is Mendy; however, it'll only be for the three of us. Don't try to use it with your parents or anyone else in the family, okay Mendy?"

Mendy nodded. "Yep, I got it."

Abdiel stood up and took her hand. "Excellent, but for now, we must return home. You may see your friend again tomorrow. Until then, it's been a pleasure, Lady Nami."

Mendy waved. "See you tomorrow, Miss Nami! I wanna play with Azurill some more!"

Nami smiled and waved. "Okay! See you!"

* * *

Nami sat back in her seat and moved a bit of hair behind her ear. "Since then, Mendy came over to play almost every day. We talked about pokémon, our dreams, and said we'd try to become trainers one day. However, some days she wouldn't stop by. She'd apologize the next time we got together and explain the reason. For eight years, we hung out together.

"Then one day, she told me of a tradition where on their thirteenth birthday, high-class daughters would be married off and live with their new husbands for three years. When they turn sixteen, that's when they officially get married. They call it an engagement, but those three years are more of a training period for them. Getting them ready for their new lives. Mendy didn't want that. She ran over to my place in a panic with her bike and we got what we needed and started our adventure together, hoping to get as far away from Cerulean as possible. We made it out of the city and hoped we never had to set foot here again. Now they've got her and more than likely are doing everything they can to keep her here."

Ayden and Jin stared at each other then back at Nami.

Jin scratched his head as he contemplated all Nami had shared. "Wow, I had no idea. To think this whole time, Mendy was a noble… and her real name's Margarete? I never would've guessed it. And I always thought that kind of life would be easy, but after hearing all that, I can see why she chose to run away from it all."

Nami nodded. "Yeah, she seemed completely miserable. But now you know why I have to save her. I can't let my best friend get stuck in that kind of life. We made a promise to each other and I don't intend on breaking it!"

Ayden perked up at the word 'promise'. He immediately thought back to the promise he made his brother. He swore he'd do everything he could to keep it.

He got out of his seat and extended his hand toward Nami. "All right then, let's go save her."

Nami looked at him in shock. "Y-You really mean it?" She then furrowed her brow. "What's the catch? What's in it for you? I bet you want me to forget about the bike issue, right?"

Ayden shook his head. "The longer you argue with me about my decision to help you, the closer Mendy is to getting married. Your call. You want my help or not?"

Nami stood up at that. She glared at him and reluctantly shook his hand. "Fine. As much as I hate to admit it, I'll need your help on this. Again, don't think this changes anything. The moment we rescue her, you better be ready to pay up for the bike."

Jin looked at both of them. He stood up, placed his hand on top of theirs and smiled. "See, that's a start! And don't forget about me! I'm in, too! Let's go rescue our friend and bring her back safe and sound!"

The door opened and Nurse Joy entered the room. "Good morning, everyone. Nami, it's good to see you up. How are you doing? Are you feeling any better?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, I'm feeling much better. Thank you, Nurse Joy."

Joy smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I'm about to open the Center, but please take your time and let me know if you need anything."

She walked over to the counter and turned on the television. The broadcast soon turned to a 'Special Bulletin Report' with a young woman in a blue shirt appearing on the screen.

She smoothly pushed her hair behind her ears and stared into the camera. "This just in. A statement from the Yarrington family has just been released. They have stated the First Daughter of the Yarrington House, Lady Margarete Yarrington of Cerulean City will be wed to the First Son of the House of Montcroix, Prince Elliott Montcroix of Lumiose City. They have declared the engagement ceremony will take place this afternoon."

The monitors beside the anchorwoman showed images of both Margarete and Elliott. Ayden, Jin, and Nami's eyes widened when they saw Mendy's face on the screen.

Nami shook as the announcement ended. "What? This afternoon?"

Jin looked back at her. "This is crazy! How are we supposed to rescue her in time?"

Nami turned to both boys, her eyes filled with determination. "We're going to rescue her! No matter what, we will save her! I swore I would protect her and that's exactly what I'm gonna do! I will not fail her a second time!"

* * *

 **Here is Chapter 9! As always, thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you'll continue to as more chapters are posted. Expect chapter 10 around the same time next month. Let me know your thoughts on the story. Thank you again and have a great day.**


	10. Rescue Operation

**Happy Halloween! Chapter 10 is up! Thank you all for taking the time to read my story. As always, please let me know what you think of it so far and I hope you'll continue to enjoy as more chapters are posted. Thank you again and look forward to chapter 11 same time next month!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 10**

Nami and the others stared at the screen in dismay as the news anchor finished her report on the upcoming engagement of Mendy and Elliott.

Nami clenched her teeth and balled her hands. She knew they would make the announcement, but didn't expect them to give it so soon.

Jin adjusted his glasses as he stared at the screen. "Wait, that's the guy she's supposed to marry? He looks way too old for her. Isn't there some kind of rule on that or something?"

Nami furrowed her brow. "Could you focus? This is serious!"

Jin scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "Okay, I'm sorry. So how do we go about crashing this party? The ceremony's in a couple of hours."

Nami took a deep breath, retrieved her hoodie from the couch, and made her way to the entrance doors of the Pokémon Center. "Okay, follow me. We don't have a lot of time and we've got a lot of ground to cover. Come on, we've gotta move!"

Ayden and Jin followed Nami out of the Pokémon Center and ran down the street dodging oncoming people in the process.

Nami ran as hard as she could. Her heart ached at the very thought of someone taking Mendy away from her and how she would never be able to see that smile of hers again. She couldn't let that happen. She had to save her no matter what.

She looked up and came to an abrupt halt. She, Jin, and Ayden caught their breaths as they gazed in horror at the road blocks in front of them. Traffic had come to a standstill as police and other officials barricaded the roads and led people through security checks.

Jin's eyes widened. "What in the world is going on?"

Nami clicked her tongue. "Remember the announcement they just made? This is part of it. They're gearing up for the engagement ceremony. All high-class and special VIPs are permitted to attend this event. They're simply only letting those people in."

Jin dropped his shoulders. "But this doesn't make any sense! We just heard the announcement! How did all these people get here so fast?"

Nami turned to him. "You honestly think they'd let an announcement for an event like this go public before telling all the nobles across the region?" Nami punched her palm in irritation. "Damn! If only we had a little more time!"

Jin clicked his tongue and balled his hands. "You've got to be kidding me! How're we supposed to get to her house now? We can barely see over all this!"

Ayden tapped Jin and Nami on their shoulders and ushered them to follow him into a nearby alleyway.

Nami furrowed her brow in annoyance. "What? We don't have time for any of your games! We've got to think of a way to get through here!"

Ayden continued to usher them toward the alley.

Jin nodded and took Nami by the wrist. "I think Ayden's got an idea. Come on."

They met Ayden in the alley away from all other onlookers.

Nami placed her hands on her hips. "Well? What is it? It'd better be good too! We're wasting time here!"

Ayden pulled out two pokéballs and threw them into air. "Heracross, Fearow, I need your help!" Both pokémon appeared in a flash of light and approached Ayden so he could pet both of them. "Hey, we're in a hurry and need to get to a house on the other side of the city. Can you guys fly us there?" Both pokémon nodded and readied themselves for their passengers. "Excellent. All right, Heracross, I need you to carry me and Jin while Fearow you lead the way with Nami. She knows where the house is. So, listen to her and follow her directions, okay?"

Fearow nodded and walked up to Nami.

Jin smiled. "Ayden! That's brilliant, man! If we can't go through, we'll go over! Well, Nami, what do you think? At this rate, we'll get there in no time!"

Nami clenched her fists in frustration. Why didn't she think of that? She's the one who's supposed to be leading this rescue mission. Why did he have to come up with the plan? "Whatever! Let's just go! We're wasting time!"

She climbed onto Fearow while Ayden and Jin took hold of Heracross' arms.

Nami tightened her grip as both pokémon took off toward Mendy's house. "Just hang on, Mendy. I'm coming."

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of Mendy's room as she rested in her bed. She tossed and turned as her mind was filled with thoughts of Shellder being cooked into dishes and devoured by her family. A plate had been presented toward her. She looked down and could see bits of Shellder within the food. She looked closer and saw its eyes look up at her in a pleading way. She could hear its shrill voice begging her not to eat her, to spare its life and let it live.

Mendy shook with hesitation, screamed, and woke with a jolt. She took in heavy breaths as she looked around to see she had been brought back to her room. Her dream popped into her head and she curled up into a ball, sobbing into her knees. A knock at the door drew her attention.

She wiped away her tears and straightened up. "Yes? Who is it?"

The door opened and Solare walked in. "It's me, Lady Margarete. I heard a scream. Is everything all right?"

Mendy averted her gaze. "As if you really care. Now leave."

Solare adjusted her glasses. "I'm sorry, Lady Margarete, but I can't do that as of yet. We have to go over the schedule for your engagement ceremony this afternoon."

Mendy's eyes widened in shock. "Wait! What did you just say?"

Solare walked further into the room. "I said we have to go over your schedule for your engagement ceremony. It's this afternoon, promptly at noon."

Mendy looked over at her clock. It read 09:55. "Why wasn't I notified of this?"

Solare adjusted her glasses again. "There was no need to inform you, Lady Margarete. Lord Yarrington demanded the ceremony take place as soon as possible. He wanted to leave nothing to chance that you might try to run away again."

Mendy's heart sank. She couldn't believe this. They did everything they could to keep her trapped. No matter what she said or did, nothing got through to anybody.

Solare's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Any minute now, your maids will arrive to help you get ready for the ceremony. Your hair, make up, and dress fitting will all be taken care of. Until then, please stay in this room and try to remain civilized."

Mendy clenched her teeth as Solare made her way to the door. "I don't care."

Solare looked back at her. "I'm sorry, did you say something, Lady Margarete?"

Mendy tightened her grip on her bed sheets. "I don't care what you all want! I will never accept this kind of life! You can promise me to that blowhard as many times as you want! You can put as many tracking devices on me and lock me in my room! I will never be a part of this kind of life! I'll find a way to get out! I did it once and I'll do it again!"

Solare cleared her throat. "One way or another, Lady Margarete, you'll come around and you'll accept your responsibilities as the first daughter of the Yarrington household. For now, do remain here."

She closed the door and locked it. Mendy lowered her head and tears fell onto her lap. She heard the door unlock and open. Several maids entered with their hands full of suitcases, make up kits, and dresses. They all stood in a row in the middle of the room and then bowed.

Solare soon appeared behind them. "Now then, Lady Margarete, let's get you ready for the ceremony."

Mendy's eyes widened as they walked closer to her. Her shoulders dropped and her nightmare began.

* * *

Elliott stood in the middle of the lavish room filled with servants catering to his every need. He held his arms up while they applied his uniform on him. They meticulously placed every decoration on his person, polished his low quarters until they shined, and lint rolled his uniform making certain not a single thread fell out of place on the fabric.

Standing behind Elliott stood a woman with short black hair and glasses. She wore a dark blue business suit with black high heels and carried a clipboard in her arms as she watched Elliott get ready.

Elliott's expression soon turned impatient. "Would you hurry up? At this rate, I'll be late for my own engagement ceremony! Let's pick up the pace!" At his word, the staff hastened their work. Elliott sighed. "For goodness sake. I'm surrounded by incompetence. Trinity, tell me what my schedule holds after the ceremony."

Trinity adjusted her glasses. "As you wish, Sir. You have a meeting with several diplomats in the southern region of Isshu, followed by a meeting with the Johto ambassador."

Elliott grinned. "Excellent. Trinity, after the ceremony, arrange a plane to take Margarete back to the palace in Lumiose City to begin her training. I expect her to be at least somewhat dignified by the time I get back."

Trinity jotted down notes on her clipboard. "Understood, Sir."

The servants finished applying all of Elliott's decorations and stood back for him to lower his arms and adjust himself in the full-length mirror.

He grinned as he stared at his reflection. "Excellent. As soon as this ceremony's over, I can focus on more important matters. I honestly can't waste any more time with that uncivilized girl."

Trinity adjusted her glasses again. "If it bothers you this much, Sir, then I really don't see the point in even having the engagement ceremony. You don't love her, do you?"

Elliott paused. "Love? Where on earth did you get such a ridiculous concept? No, I don't love her and I don't expect her to love me. This is merely a political advancement on my part. Being wed to the daughter of the Yarrington family will greatly increase my status, affording me privileges beyond imagining. She is merely a stepping stone on my road to greatness. You should know that by now, Trinity."

Trinity averted her gaze. "Yes, of course, Sir. I just can't stand the thought of you having to deal with someone like her. Even if it's for political advancement, she's hardly qualified to stand beside you at all. She's unrefined, temperamental, and I can think of many other women who'd be better suited as your wife."

Elliott turned toward her. "Oh, like who?"

Trinity blushed and cleared her throat. "Well, none come to mind at this particular point in time, but trust me, Sir, there are better options for you."

Elliott grinned. "And that's where you're wrong, Trinity. There are no better options for me. She is the key to cementing my name among the noble elite. Regardless if she likes to fraternize with common filth, her name alone means far more to me than anything else."

Trinity tightened her grip on her clipboard. "But, Sir-,"

Elliott glared at her. "Trinity, you're overstepping your boundaries. Do not make me repeat myself. You are my aide, and as such there are certain matters you need not get involved in. Are we clear?"

Trinity straightened up and bowed. "Please forgive me, your highness. I had crossed the line. I'm terribly sorry."

Elliott smirked. "Good. Make sure you don't forget that. Now, make yourself useful and attend to what I've assigned you. As soon as this ceremony is over, I expect everything to go smoothly. Now go."

Trinity bowed again. "As you wish, Sir."

She walked out the room and closed the door behind her. As she leaned against it, the memory of her time with Elliott as kids surfaced. She remembered the day she first met him. They were both ten years old and back then, he didn't have an arrogant attitude, but a gentle aura about him. He stood in his little white suit with a red rose in his lapel next to his father as she walked up to him by hers. She wore a simple maid uniform with her hair fashioned into a bun and large swirl-patterned glasses.

Her father, a tall lean man dressed in a business suit, bowed before Elliott's father. "Lord Montcroix, I thank you kindly for this opportunity. Trinity, you're going to be Prince Elliott's aide. Please work hard for the Montcroix family."

Trinity gave a nod to him. "Yes, Father."

She spent the next few months following Elliott everywhere he went, taking care of all his needs. One night, Elliott snuck out of his mansion.

Trinity searched frantically for him until she finally found him standing alone outside looking at the night sky. "Prince Elliott! What're you doing? You're gonna be in big trouble if you're caught out here!"

Elliott continued looking at the sky. "They're really pretty, aren't they? The stars, I mean. Have you ever wondered how many there are?"

Trinity adjusted her glasses. "No, Prince Elliott, I can't say I have."

Elliott grinned. "I have. Every day I wonder. What's all out there? There's gotta be a huge world out there and it's just begging me to explore it."

Trinity straightened up in shock. She'd never heard him speak like this before. "But, what about all your lessons and your tutors? Don't they teach you all about the world already?"

Elliott shook his head and turned to her. "What about them? It's just political nonsense no one really pays attention to. I want to see the whole world up close and personal, not from behind a desk at some diplomatic meeting. Someday, I'll travel the whole world and see what it's really like and find a way to make it a better place that makes people happy. Trinity, wanna come along with me? It'll be great. Just the two of us. We can help make the world a better place together."

Trinity blushed and averted her gaze from him. She never expected him to talk to her so casually. "But, Prince Elliott, I'm just an aide. The rules of nobility say I can't-,"

Elliott grabbed her hands and held them tightly. "I don't care about social rules or any of that stuff! So, what if you're my aide? I'll find a way for us to change the world! Even if that means making you my wife!"

Trinity dropped her shoulders. Right then she knew, Elliott differed from all the other nobles. He actually cared about people. His warm smile made her certain that he could really make a change.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'll stand by you no matter what."

As the years went by, she noticed a particular change in Elliott. Once he learned of all the benefits of being married to particular nobles, his viewpoints changed drastically. Even more so when he learned of how his political ranking would increase if he developed marital ties with the Yarrington family. Since then, his smile no longer gave the warmth as before. It became cold and greedy. He no longer spoke casually to her and only maintained a business-like relationship.

Trinity continued to lean against the door listening to Elliott order the other servants around. She then thought of how he became this way and Margarete's face surfaced.

She tightened her grip on her clipboard and gritted her teeth. "Damn you, Margarete Yarrington."

* * *

Rose walked down the stairs toward the deployment team. She hadn't even gotten to the bottom of the steps and already she could hear all of them working toward getting everything ready. She entered the room and saw many Chaos Grunts checking the plane and loading it for the mission. In the center of the room, a young female member spoke to her squad. She had red hair tied into a bun and wore black pants and boots along with a tucked in shirt branding the standard silver 'C'.

"All right! I want Teams A and B to be in front! Teams C and D will hold back and provide backup for whenever necessary! This is an important mission that we cannot fail! Am I understood?"

The squad responded with a "Yes, Ma'am".

She nodded. "Good! Prepare for sortie! Fall out!"

At her command, her squad did an about-face and dispersed to get ready for the mission. She breathed a sigh of relief as they left, but straightened up when she heard Rose's voice.

"Second Lieutenant Heida, could I have a word with you."

When Heida saw Rose walk toward her, she popped to attention, and gave a salute. "Of course, Captain Rose."

Rose waved her down. "At ease, Lieutenant. I just wanted to come by and check to see if things were going smoothly. I take it you're leading this mission?"

Heida nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I'm still inexperienced, but I will lead this squad to the best of my ability and come back with the fragment in hand."

Rose smiled. "Now that's the kind of attitude I like to see." She reached over and held Heida by the chin, leaned in and whispered into her ear. "Don't stress too much. You'll do just fine. If this mission is a success, I'll personally rank you up to First Lieutenant and make you my deputy."

Heida's eyes widened. "Y-You're deputy, Ma'am? That's quite an honor."

Rose pulled her closer. "That's only if you bring me back the fragment. If you fail, your rank won't be the only thing you'll lose."

Heida's shoulders dropped and she gulped as she trembled in fear. She heard the rumors of what happens to those who fail a mission from Rose. "Y-Yes, Ma'am, I assure you I won't fail."

Rose let go of her chin and smiled. "Good. Don't disappoint me."

Rose turned and walked toward the exit, leaving Heida frozen staring at Rose's back as she left. Her face reddened as the thought of being Rose's deputy filled her mind. She wanted nothing more than to stand by Rose's side.

"Yes, Captain Rose, I will not fail you. I swear I'll get you that fragment even if it costs me my life."

* * *

Ayden, Nami, and Jin flew through the air as steady as they could, cautiously making sure they didn't disturb Heracross and Fearow's flying. They flew through the clouds to give themselves cover from all the security. Ayden directed them to not fly too fast so they could communicate with each other.

Nami rode silently. She only had one thing on her mind, to get Mendy out of that mansion. Her mind kept slipping back to her run-in with those men in the alley. She couldn't believe she let them overtake her like that. She could still remember how they forced Mendy to the ground like a criminal. The very thought made her blood boil. She would never forgive them for treating her like that.

Jin looked over at Nami. "Hey, Nami, you okay?" She didn't respond. Jin stared at her for bit before asking again. "So… uh… what's the game plan? Are we getting close to the mansion?"

Nami looked back at him and nodded. "Yeah, we're getting close. Do you see that mansion up ahead? That's her home. It's still a distance, but we're making good progress."

Jin's eyes widened as he gazed upon the multi-story mansion in the distance. Never had he'd seen anything like it before. Even from a distance, he could tell how luxurious and grandiose the mansion's exterior appeared. "Wait, Mendy lives there? No way! That mansion's gotta be like three times the size of the Pewter City Museum! Can you actually imagine living there? Bet it would be awesome!"

Nami scowled. "Yeah, well quit daydreaming. It may look like heaven, but it's a real hell in there. Mendy told me all about it one day. She even compared it to a prison. That's why we have to get her out of there."

* * *

Jin regained his focus on the mission and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. You've got it. Whatever you need, consider it done. We're here for you, Nami. Mendy's our friend too. We'll get her back no matter what."

His words made her forget her anger for a moment and managed to put a small smile on her face. "Thanks, Jin, I needed that. Come on, let's get her out of there!"

Solare and the other maids finished their work and left the room, leaving Mendy to look herself over in the mirror. She didn't even recognize herself. Her hair had been fashioned into a bun, she had been festooned in a diamond-studded purple dress that made her feel she would trip at any given moment, purple elbow gloves adorned her arms, and light blue mascara and rosy-red lipstick had been applied to her, making her feel even worse. She didn't care about any of these things; she would gladly trade it all just to be back on her journey and learn as much as she could about water pokémon.

Mendy looked out her window as dozens of high-class visitors flocked into the mansion. Each one carried an important social status along with an attitude that said they didn't care about anyone but themselves. Every time she looked at an official, she could feel her anger rise. None of them cared about what other people had to go through. All they ever cared about was the chance to increase their status and make themselves richer and feel more important.

A click of the lock on the door drew her attention. Solare appeared along with two guards.

They walked in and then stood on opposite sides of Mendy while Solare stood in the doorway. "The engagement ceremony will begin shortly. Your presence is required outside. You will be escorted there. Gentlemen."

The guards each took one of Mendy's arms and led her out of her room.

Solare walked behind them, keeping a close eye on Mendy, who walked with her head down as if she been put in a daze.

She couldn't believe any of this was happening. Any moment her engagement would be made official, and then she would have to spend the next three years learning how to be Elliott's wife. The fact she couldn't do anything at that point, made her feel even worse.

Solare and the guards led Mendy through the hallways of the house where every maid and butler stood waiting. As she walked by them, they each gave a bow along with a congratulatory statement. She averted her gaze as their hollowed words rang through her ears.

They reached the end of the hallway where two butlers stood waiting for their arrival. They both bowed and opened the door toward the outside.

Mendy walked out and saw hundreds of guests waiting in red-cushioned seats. A red carpet led up to a white gazebo in the middle of the garden.

Elliott stood under the gazebo with his arms behind him in a parade-rest fashion. His expression showed annoyance as he hoped the ceremony would be over quickly. Beside him stood the minister, a short bald man wearing a black robe with a golden cross on each sleeve. Her parents stood off to the side. She could feel their eyes glaring at her, telling her not to mess this up and embarrass them. She tried her best to avoid their gaze.

She reached the gazebo and stood in front of Elliott. As soon as she was in place, the guards bowed and walked away.

The minister cleared his throat and then stood between them. "Today, marks a special occasion. Today, we recognize the engagement of the first daughter of Yarrington, and the first son of Montcroix."

The audience applauded. While Elliott waved to them with an arrogant grin, Mendy dropped her shoulders and looked up to the exit. Guards stood all around her, ensuring she couldn't escape.

The applause died down and her attention fell back onto the minister as he cleared his throat again. He held up his hand and revealed two gold rings. "I have here, the ceremonial engagement rings; the ring of mind and the ring of soul. These rings represent virtue, spirit, and an everlasting unity between these two houses. Prince Elliott Montcroix, may I have your hand please?"

Elliott kneeled and offered his left hand to the minister.

The minister gently placed the ring onto his finger and then motioned him to stand up. "Prince Elliott Montcroix, I give you the ring of mind. Do you swear to hold true to your commitment in this holy union and forever give honor to the two houses?"

Elliott nodded. "I swear."

The minister then turned to Mendy. "Lady Margarete Yarrington, may I have your hand please?"

Mendy hesitated. She took a half-step backward then froze. Her breathing hastened as she felt the pressure of her parents behind her. If he placed the ring on her finger, there would be no way she could get out of the engagement. By law, she would officially be engaged to Elliott. Simply taking the ring off and running away wouldn't help. She'd be bound to him forever. He could legally do whatever he wanted with her. He could have every cop in the region go after her if he wanted.

She closed her eyes and Nami's face immediately appeared. Suddenly, her mind cleared itself of everything around her and she focused on Nami. The promise they made and the memories of sharing their dream filled her mind. She couldn't break her promise. Not now. She made up her mind that day she'd do whatever it took to keep it alive.

The minister gestured toward her again. "Lady Margarete Yarrington, may I have your hand please?"

She turned to the minister and dropped her shoulders. "No, you may not."

The crowd gasped and whispered in awe at what they just heard. The minister adjusted his glasses. "I'm sorry, Lady Margarete Yarrington?"

Mendy felt her body relax. She knew she could do this. "I said, you may not have my hand! I've made up my mind and I won't be married to this man! I refuse to be a slave to this world anymore!"

The audience's whispers turned to disgust. To think such words would come from a noble's daughter.

She looked over and saw Elliott had reached the limit of his patience. He snatched the ring from the minister and then grabbed Mendy's wrist. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? Let go!"

Elliott glared at her. "Be silent! I've had enough of you already! I have a lot to do and I don't have time to deal with your foolish behavior! Now hold still!"

Mendy struggled against him. She balled her hand to keep Elliott from applying the ring.

Elliott jerked her forward. "Open your hand!"

Mendy pulled back. "No! I said let go!"

The audience sat in amusement at the spectacle. Many found it embarrassing for the Yarrington family to have such an unrefined daughter.

Wentworth furrowed his brow as his anger rose. He snapped his fingers, and at his command, a couple of guards came to his side. "Restrain that girl and make sure Elliott gets that ring on her hand. I will not tolerate any more foolishness. Hurry up!"

They ran up to the struggling Mendy and held her down. One guard put her in a headlock while the other forced her hand open, ensuring her finger stayed ready to receive the ring.

Mendy struggled, but to no avail. "Hey! Stop it! Get off me!"

Wentworth walked up to Mendy and slammed his cane onto the ground. The impact caught her attention. "Enough! Just what do you think you're doing on such a momentous occasion? You're actions clearly show no respect for the Yarrington family! Minister!"

The minister jumped up at the call. "Yes, Lord Yarrington?"

Wentworth pointed at Mendy's hand. "Hurry up and get that ring on her now! I will not tolerate any more interruptions! Am I making myself clear?"

The minister nodded. "Of course, Lord Yarrington. As you wish."

He walked over to Elliott and retrieved the ring. Mendy struggled as she watched him approach her. Her heart pounded against her chest and tears welled up and fell down her cheek. She closed her eyes, praying this would all go away.

"Marill! Water Gun!"

The voice echoed throughout the garden and drew her attention. She recognized it, but couldn't believe she actually heard it. She looked up and her heart nearly jumped up her throat.

Marill fired a stream of water down toward the ceremony, drenching the gazebo, the guards, and the audience. Everyone stood up and ran away from the unannounced shower.

Elliott jumped back and looked up to see who attacked them.

Nami held Marill in her hands as she watched the audience disperse and scream for cover. She quickly scanned the area until she found her. Huddled between a few guards, she could see Mendy amidst the fray.

Elliott balled his hands and gritted his teeth. He had come too far to let things get ruined now. He had to be engaged to Margarete no matter what. His reputation and his ladder to the top depended on it.

He turned to the minister and snatched the ring from him. "Give that to me! This foolishness ends now!"

He walked up and had the guards reposition Mendy's fingers so he could apply the ring. He carefully readied the ring and proceeded to place it on her. Mendy struggled as much as she could, but the guards held her down.

Nami's anger reached its peak. She jumped off of Fearow and dove toward the ceremony while reaching for a pokéball. "Oh no you don't! You get away from her right now! Staryu! Rapid Spin!"

She opened her pokéball and Staryu zipped through the air toward Elliott. Elliott barely had the ring touch Mendy's finger when Staryu slammed him in the side and sent him flying across the garden.

Mendy's eyes widened as she saw the ring fly out of Elliott's hand and land in the nearby bushes. She looked up and gasped as she saw Nami fall toward the gazebo.

Nami pointed towards the ground. "Marill, Water Gun toward the ground!"

Marill fired its attack and slowed down their descent. She smiled when she saw three guards ready their stun guns and batons. She'd been wanting a rematch.

She landed and saw the first guard run up to her with his baton. Staryu came back and tripped him. The moment his feet left the ground, Nami ran up and kneed him in the face.

The second guard ran up to her with his stun gun. She took the baton from the first guard and hit the second guard in the gut. She then took him by the head and flipped him to the ground.

The third guard came from behind her with his baton. She grinned. She picked up the second guard's stun gun and struck the oncoming guard in the stomach. He screamed as the electricity surged throughout his body and he fell over backward off the gazebo.

She twirled the baton and placed her hand on her hip. "That's payback for what you did back in the alley, you son of a bitch!" She straightened up, recalled her pokémon, and turned toward Mendy. "Hey, you okay?" Mendy stared at her all the while not believing what she saw. Nami grinned. "Sorry, I'm late, but I swore I'd protect you, didn't I?"

Tears cascaded down Mendy's cheeks as she jumped up and hugged Nami. "Nami! I'm… so happy you're okay! I was so worried about you! I started to think I'd never see you again!"

Nami hugged her back. However, she couldn't keep her own tears from falling. "I'm so sorry, Mendy. I'll never let something like this happen again. Everything's going to be okay. You ready to get out of here?"

Mendy looked at her with her tear-stained face and gave a nod. Wentworth walked up to them and slammed his cane down. "You there! Get away from my daughter! Just who are you to interrupt our royal ceremony? She has a very important duty to uphold and she will do it! I'll have you thrown into the cellar for this kind of act!"

Nami jumped in front of Mendy to shield her. As he approached them, she held the stun gun up to him and forced him to stop. "Oh yeah? Well up yours, old man! She's coming with me, got it? I won't let you all do as you please with her anymore!"

He furrowed his brow and gripped his cane as his anger welled up. "Why you insolent little brat!" He snapped his fingers, and at his command, every guard in attendance surrounded the girls. "Arrest this hoodlum girl and take her to the cellar! Then, restrain Margarete and get that ring back! I will not tolerate any more interruptions! Do it now!"

The guards charged the girls, but fell backward as several lightning bolts rained down on them. Wentworth looked up and saw two boys descend onto the gazebo.

Jin waved his hand as they headed toward them. "Hey! The cavalry is here! You ready, Ayden?"

Ayden nodded. "Fearow! Grab those two and let's go!"

Fearow swooped down and the girls each grabbed a leg as Fearow soared back into the sky.

Wentworth looked on in anger as he watched his daughter fly away. Elliott soon appeared beside him. "Lord Yarrington! I'm sorry, sir, I was blindsided and struck by one of those filthy creatures."

Wentworth turned to him. "Elliott! My daughter, and your future wife, has just been kidnapped! Bring her back this very instant! I don't care what you have to do! Just get that girl back here and make sure that ring goes on her finger!"

Elliott bowed. "Lord Yarrington, do not fear, for everything is under control. No matter where they go, the collar on Margarete will tell me exactly where she is. And as long as I have the key, she won't get far, you can count on that. Men!" At his call, his guards came up to him. "Round up your gear and get the vehicles ready! We're going after Margarete! I'll be leading this time! There will be no errors!"

They gave him a salute and readied for the chase.

Elliott balled his hands. "You're not getting away from me that easily, my dear Margarete." With that, he took off with the rest of his men.

Wentworth scowled and stormed back into the mansion, quickly followed by Vivian.

When everyone had left, Trinity walked toward the mansion when a gleam caught her eye. She went over to it and found the ring that had flown out of Elliott's hand. As she analyzed it, images of Elliott putting it on Mendy's finger popped into her head. She tightened her grip on the ring, trying to hold in her anger.

She looked up and saw several guards run up to her. "Yes, gentlemen, what can I do for you?"

One of the guards stepped forward. "You're Prince Elliott's aide, right? We were ordered by Lord Yarrington to search for Lady Margarete's ring. Will you help us look for it? It would be a big help."

Trinity discreetly placed the ring in her pocket and adjusted her glasses. "Of course. I'll help in any way I can."

* * *

Elliott and his men traveled through the city of Cerulean, tracking down the signal on Mendy's collar gave.

When the signal stopped moving, one of Elliott's guards spoke up. "Prince Elliott! We've got them! They've stopped moving along route 4! They're only a little ways from here!"

Elliott grinned. "Excellent! Head straight for them and make sure to give them our sincerest of welcomes!"

His men obliged and headed straight for the route. When they arrived and Elliott stepped out of his car, he grimaced at the sight before him. Foliage and trees surrounded him. Never before did he ever imagine he would have to trek through nature. Already his pure white shoes had scuff marks on them. "Men, let's hurry. I don't wish to stay here much longer."

His team nodded and began their search. They slowly followed the path and kept their focus on the signal. The beeping hastened as they neared their target.

Elliott moved some hair out of his eyes and wiped his brow as the humidity kept him perspiring no matter how many times he wiped away the sweat.

Unaware, Elliott slipped and found his perfect shoes and suit had both been tarnished and sullied with mud. "What is this? How could you let me fall into something this horrid?"

His men tensed up. One of the guards spoke up. "Our deepest apologies, Prince Elliott! It is a rather large puddle! We thought you had taken notice of it!"

Elliott balled his hands. "Obviously not, you incompetent fools! You'd better find Margarete right now before I fire every single one of you!"

His men went back to following the signal. It led them off the route and deep into the forest. Elliott and his men climbed over bushes and tree limbs to get to the signal. The debris from the forest ripped their clothes and several mud puddles dirtied them even further.

Elliott's anger reached its boiling point as he trudged through trying to keep his clothes intact, but to no avail.

They stopped when they noticed the beeping told them they had arrived at the collar. They looked around, but no one could see Margarete anywhere.

Elliott stomped up to the man with the tracker. "Well? Where is she?"

The guard shrugged. "I don't know, sir, the tracker is saying she's right here."

Elliott looked around. The signal hadn't moved at all. She had to be around there somewhere. His attention fell onto one of his men pointing to a nearby tree and they all looked up to the towering plant. To Elliott's horror, he saw the collar stuck in the top branch of the tree. His eyes widened. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the collar. This whole time, he'd be walking through the mud and the unbearable decorations of nature only to find that he'd been tricked? His goal to find and bring back Margarete ended in failure? It all came up to nothing?

He tightened his grip on the key and threw it as hard as he could. "Damn it! Why? How? How could she possibly get that collar off? This doesn't make any sense! I had the key in my pocket this whole time!"

* * *

The group held onto Fearow and Heracross as they gently sailed across the sky and away from the mansion. The wind whipped through their smiling faces as they relished in their successful rescue. They landed in a clearing along route 5 and Ayden recalled his pokémon.

Nami looked around and a smile spread across her face. "Woohoo! We did it. We actually did it! Mendy! How're you feeling?"

She looked over and she saw tears in Mendy's eyes and a smile on her face. She couldn't remember a time she felt happier. She felt the warm breeze sweep across her face and every muscle in her body relaxed.

She turned and faced the group. "Everyone, thank you. I… I honestly don't know what else to say."

Nami walked up to her and gave her a hug. "There's no need to say anything. You're back and that's all that matters."

Mendy nodded and wiped away her tears. She looked up and moved some hair behind her ear. "You're right, Nami. Thank you for always being there."

She smiled and Nami's heart skipped a beat. There it was. Mendy's award-winning smile. Seeing that smile again made everything up until now worth it.

Mendy turned and faced Jin. "And Jin, I can't believe you got the collar off so fast! And it was a stroke of genius to place it on top of a tree."

Jin laughed as he twirled a screw driver around his fingers with pride. "Who needs some stupid key? Thanks to that Team Chaos guy, my lock picking skills skyrocketed! That collar was a piece of cake compared to the stores I had to break into!"

Mendy dropped her shoulders and giggled nervously. "I don't know if that's something to be proud of."

Jin grinned. "Yeah, maybe not, but in any case, we couldn't have gotten to you in time if Ayden hadn't thought of using his pokémon. We were able to bypass so much ground because of it."

Mendy looked at Ayden who stood with his arms crossed. He looked back at Mendy and then walked up to her. As soon as he stood in front of her, she crossed her arms. "To be honest, you're the last person I'd expect to have helped. I almost want to ask why you stuck around in the first place… but I won't. Thank you, Ayden."

Ayden nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pokéball and handed it to her. "I believe this is yours."

Mendy held the ball in her hands and her eyes widened. "Squirtle's pokéball? You had it this entire time?"

Ayden nodded again. "I have a feeling he's eager to see you."

Mendy gave a nod and threw the ball into the air. "Come on out, Squirtle!"

The ball popped open and Squirtle appeared in a blinding flash of light. She gasped when she saw him. He looked like he'd never sustained any damage at all. His skin color had returned to its original light blue shade and all the bruises had vanished. He landed and instantly ran into her arms.

She knelt down and gave him a hug. "Oh, I missed you so much, Squirtle! I'm so sorry I put you through all that with Raye. Can you ever forgive me?"

Squirtle nodded and dug his head into her arms.

Mendy hugged him back and smiled. "I promise. I'll never let you go through something like that again. I'll work harder and we'll become an even stronger team."

Jin and Nami smiled as they watched the two reunite.

Piik smiled as well and turned to Ayden to get his opinion on the matter.

He turned to her and lightly smiled when jolt of pain struck his head. He fell to his knees as the pain intensified. The others turned to him wondering what was happening. He tried to keep the pain under control, but his head kept throbbing until he opened his eyes to a vision.

He saw Mendy sitting on her knees in front of her parents. Her arms had been bound and connected to a collar. He saw her father take his cane and strike her in the shoulders. Her screams filled the room, but her parents didn't seem to care. He saw a maid force her up by the collar and lead her out of the room like a dog.

When the vision ended and the pain subsided, Ayden lay on the ground with Piik shaking him with worry and everyone else looking at him in curious bewilderment.

Jin knelt down and placed a hand on Ayden's shoulder. "Dude, you okay?" Ayden took in deep breaths as he looked up at Mendy. "Ayden?"

Ayden looked back at Jin and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine, Jin. Thanks. And don't worry, Piik, I'm fine really."

Piik looked at him skeptically, but decided to let it go. She could worry about him all day and he'd still give her the same answer. So, as long as he said so, she'd believe him.

Mendy stared at Ayden, not sure what to make of the situation while Nami simply crossed her arms. "Hey, if you're done hugging the ground, let's get moving. I don't know about you guys, but I've had enough of Cerulean for a while."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, I'm with you there. But first, I need to get out of these clothes. If I take another step in this, I think I'm gonna lose my mind."

Nami smiled. "Well, it just so happens I managed to salvage your backpack along with an extra set of clothes for you."

Mendy hugged her. "Thank you! You're the best friend in the whole world!"

Nami's smile widened. "Yep, I know. I know." Nami wrapped her arm around her and they walked toward the trees. She looked back and Ayden and Jin with a menacing glare. "We're going over here so she can change! You boys better not peek! You got that? I'll be standing guard just in case!"

As they went behind the trees, Jin scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Wow, she must really care for Mendy. That's what I call a true friend. What do you think, Ayden?"

Ayden stared off into the trees where the Mendy went, his mind deep in thought about the vision he just had. Nami said Mendy had a tough childhood with her parents, but she never mentioned anything about how her father treated her. Something didn't sit right.

Nami looked over and found Ayden staring at her. "Hey! What're you looking over here for, huh? You trying to sneak a peek or something? You pervert! I can't believe you!"

Piik furrowed her brow. She didn't appreciate anyone calling her master names.

Jin looked at Ayden in surprise. "Wait a minute. Is that the reason why you're spacing out? You're thinking about Mendy?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Jin's and Piik's eyes widened. Sweat fell down Piik's face as she analyzed what just happened.

Jin's jaw dropped and he shook his head as he searched for the words to say. "Dude! I never pictured you the closet pervert type! Don't know why, but my opinion of you strangely enough hasn't changed."

Ayden shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm thinking about the events up until now. The reasons why Mendy wanted to get away from her family so badly. Nami said it was because of tradition and she didn't want to be a part of it, but I get the feeling there's more to the situation than just that. To be that adamant about staying away from Cerulean over something like that just seems odd to me."

Jin lowered his shoulders and stared at Ayden. He had a point. He'd been so focused on getting Mendy back, he never really thought of why she had to go through all this in the first place.

Behind the tree, Mendy eagerly took off the jewelry and wiped off her make up as quickly as possible. She reached for the zipper of her dress, but it barely escaped her fingers. "Uh, Nami, could you help please? I can't reach the zipper."

Nami gave Ayden a death glare and then slowly walked behind the trees. "Yeah, sure, coming."

She went behind the trees and saw Mendy struggling to reach the zipper. She rolled her eyes and wondered how this girl ever got along without her. She snickered to herself and reached for the zipper. "Okay, hang on, I got it."

The moment her fingers touched it; she froze. Her shoulders relaxed as she stared at Mendy's backside. The way her hair sat professionally in a perfect bun, and how beautiful she looked in her dress mesmerized her. It reminded her of the day they met and how she thought she was a princess from a fairy tale.

Mendy looked back at her. "Nami? You okay?"

Nami snapped out of her thoughts and blushed. She quickly unzipped her dress and hurried out of the trees. "Yeah, I'm fine. No worries. Let me know if you need anything else." Before she walked away, Mendy grabbed her wrist. Nami turned around and saw the most solemn look she'd ever seen on Mendy. "Mendy? What's wrong?"  
Mendy paused then lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Nami, for everything."

Nami stared at her for a brief moment then smiled. "What're talking about? You don't have to apologize. None of this was your fault."

Mendy gritted her teeth. "Yes, it is! Everything you've gone through since coming here has been my fault! Being chased and attacked by my father's guards, do you have any idea how worried I was? How painful it was to see you get hurt like that? I couldn't even do anything to help! All I could do was watch as they attacked you! The last I saw you weren't even moving! I couldn't even check on you to make sure you were okay! How can you possibly say I don't have to apologize?"

Nami drew her in and tightly hugged her. "It's because you're my friend that you don't have to apologize. I know I must've worried you, but I'm fine. See? Come on, you saw me kick those guys' butts back there, right? You don't have to worry anymore. Everything's going to be fine. We'll get out of this city once and for all and get back to our journey together."

Mendy cried into her shoulders and Nami sat with her as she let all her worry flow out.

* * *

Jin leaned against a tree as he, Ayden, and Piik waited for Mendy and Nami to return.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and breathed a sigh. "Wow, they've been behind that tree for a while now. Wonder what they're doing. I'm starting to get a little bored waiting on them. Ooh, look, a Pidgey."

Jin's attention quickly fell on the small brown bird pokémon as it landed gently on the ground.

Just as he knelt down to study it, Nami and Mendy walked toward them with Mendy back in her old clothes of jeans, sneakers, and a black tank top.

She let her hair back down so that it went slightly passed her shoulders. "Oh yeah! I feel much better now!"

Nami leaned into Mendy's ear. "Try to keep your distance away from Ayden. I saw him staring at the spot where you were changing. He looked like he had some nasty thoughts."

Mendy blushed and then the rest of her face burned with anger. "That little pervert."

Her eyes widened when she saw Ayden walk toward her.

When he got close, Nami jumped in front of her. "And what do you want, you perv?"

Piik charged up her cheeks, but Ayden petted her down. "Calm down, Piik. Mendy, I think you owe us an explanation about why all this is happening. We're all too involved now and we can't afford to be ignorant of the situation any longer."

Nami took a step forward. "Hey! She doesn't have to say a damn thing to you! Her business is hers alone! And what are you talking about being 'too involved'? In case you've forgotten, Mendy's the only one being targeted here!"

They all paused when they heard the speaker system turn on and a voice boomed throughout the city. "Citizens of Cerulean City! The first daughter of the Yarrington family has been kidnapped by a group of delinquents consisting of one girl and two boys all ranging between twelve and sixteen years of age. Please keep an eye out for a girl with brown hair wearing a pink hoodie; a boy with silver hair, wearing black, with a Pikachu; and another young man with brown hair and glasses. These three kids have disrupted the engagement ceremony of the Yarrington and Montcroix family. Please be on the lookout."

The announcement ended and a deafening silence fell on the group. They looked at each other as the announcement rang through their minds.

Jin fell to his knees in defeat. "So, we're criminals now… and just when I got my name cleared in Pewter City too."

Mendy balled her hands and clenched her teeth. Not only are they hunting her friends now, but calling them criminals as well? She couldn't take it anymore. They didn't deserve this.

She lowered her shoulders and turned to the group. "All right, I'll tell you what happened."

Nami looked at Mendy. "Wait, what?"

Mendy held up a hand to stop her. "It's okay. They have a right to know. I'm the reason they're being hunted down right now. It's time they knew why."

* * *

The afternoon sunlight glistened off the sleek metal body of the aircraft as it flew across the sky, soaring above the clouds well out of eyesight of the citizens below.

Heida stood with her arms crossed as she watched over her squad diligently work toward their objective. "Have you picked up the signal of the fragment yet?" Her entire squad responded with a solemn 'No, Ma'am'. Heida slammed her fists onto her desk. How could this possibly be? They've been flying for several hours and they still hadn't picked up the location of the fragment. "Keep searching! This is an important mission that we cannot fail!"

She took her seat and rubbed her head in exasperation. If she didn't find that fragment and returned to Captain Rose emptyhanded, she could only imagine what would happen to her. The very thought sent chills down her spine. She had to find that fragment. She had to be Rose's deputy.

She perked up when she heard the sound of the alarm.

"Lieutenant Heida! I've picked up the fragment's signal!"

Heida jumped out of her seat and ran toward the front of the airship. "Where is it?"

The Chaos grunt pointed to her screen. "The signal's coming from a mansion on the other side of the city. It'll take us a while to get there though."

Heida nodded. "That won't be a problem. As long as we get our hands on that fragment, I don't care how long we have to wait. Make a beeline for that mansion and prepare to infiltrate. We will not leave here without that fragment in hand."

Her squad replied eagerly and went back to work. Heida grinned. Finally, the fragment will be in her possession and then she'll be able to present it to Captain Rose with her head held high.


	11. My Name is Mendy

**Hello! Welcome to another chapter of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! We're at the finale of the Cerulean Arc and I hope you've all enjoyed the ride so far. Please let me know what you think of the chapter and look forward to chapter 12 being posted around the same time next month! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you'll continue to follow as more chapters are posted. Thank you again and enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 11**

Not long after Mendy's abduction from her engagement ceremony did the news spread across the city. Every news agency flocked to the Yarrington mansion to get the latest. Reporters swarmed the gates to the mansion as Wentworth and Vivian's guards did all they could to hold them back.

A female reporter nudged her way through the inquiring crowd until she made her way to the front. She had long blue hair and wore square-framed glasses.

She held a tape recorder up in the air as she called out to Wentworth and Vivian. "Lord and Lady Yarrington! Please give us a statement! Why didn't your daughter resist her abduction? Was it staged? Who were those people?"

Both Wentworth and Vivian simply looked at the paparazzi and then turned and headed back inside. The guards closed the gates behind them, leaving the press starving for details.

The irritated aristocrats walked briskly through the halls until they made their way to the grand room. Wentworth paced back and forth, his hand tightly gripping his cane and his mind boiling with anger toward Mendy. Vivian sat in silence in her purple-cushioned chair watching her husband stew in his anger.

Solare stood against the wall hoping with all she had Wentworth wouldn't direct his anger on her. "That ungrateful… stupid… waste of a daughter! Everything was going perfectly until she ruined it! Solare!"

At his call, Solare reluctantly walked toward him. She swallowed her nerves and braced herself for whatever he had in store for her. "Yes, Lord Yarrington."

Wentworth held his cane up to her chin, pushing her head back. "How could you let Margarete escape? You were supposed to be watching her every move! How did she escape?"

He slowly applied pressure to her, forcing her back until she hit the wall. "I'm… I'm so very sorry, my Lord! It was a slight miscalculation on my part! I had no idea her friends were close enough to take her!"

Wentworth applied more pressure to her chin. His now maroon-colored face glared at her with the lividest expression he could muster. "A slight miscalculation? That's your excuse? The engagement ceremony between my house and the Montcroix has been ruined! I'm now officially the biggest laughingstock of the entire noble community! And you have nothing better to say than it was a slight miscalculation? You were supposed to control that girl and keep her from doing something like this! That's why I hired you in the first place!"

The pressure from the cane made it harder for Solare to breathe. Tears fell down her cheeks as the end of the cane dug into her neck. "I-I'm… s-so… very… sorry."

Wentworth removed his cane and watched Solare drop to the floor, coughing for air. "You're damn right you're sorry! You'd better hope Elliott and his men can find Margarete, or else you'll be paying with your life! Now get out of my sight!"

Solare stood up and bowed before leaving the room.

Wentworth scowled and went back to his pacing. "I'm surrounded by incompetent idiots! Even if they do find Margarete, it'll take more than the wedding ceremony to repair the damage done to my reputation! We need to figure a way out of this mess!"

Vivian snapped her fan shut and stared at Wentworth. "I couldn't agree more. Once we find her, we'll make certain she never humiliates us again. Has there been any word from Elliott's team?"

Wentworth shook his head. "No! He still hasn't messaged me on anything! Once I get my hands on Margarete, I'll make her regret she ever disobeyed us!"

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

The soft warm wind swept across the grass as Ayden and Jin sat on the ground and waited patiently for Mendy to tell her tale. Mendy sat on a rock opposite them and held her hands together nervously while Nami stood leaning against a tree with her arms crossed.

Mendy took a deep breath. "Okay, here it is. I'm sure you all know how I'm supposed to be a noble, right? Well, as you can already tell, that isn't really working out. My parents deemed me a failure and an embarrassment for as long as I can remember."

She thought back to the night she overheard her parents shouting over her unsuccessful training. No older than five and yet she could still remember that night perfectly. She tossed and turned in her bed, but the voices of her parents prevented her from falling asleep. She got out of the bed and snuck down the hallway toward the living room. She peeked through the banister and saw her parents yell their lungs out at the staff of maids and butlers. The staff stood in a single-file line against the wall with their heads lowered.

Wentworth held his cane and threw his arms into the air wildly. "How can she make so many mistakes? It doesn't make any sense! You were supposed to teach her proper etiquette and make certain she was ready for tonight! All of you have made me look foolish! That girl is slow, but you were supposed to fix that! That's why I hired you all!"

One of the maids, a young mid-twenties woman with short brown hair and glasses, clenched her fists. "Lord Yarrington! Please, sir, with all due respect-,"

Wentworth swung his cane and bashed her in the side of her head. She fell on her side and her glasses flew across the room. "I don't recall giving you or anyone here permission to speak! None of you are to backtalk to me! None of you are to voice your opinions! You are to work and make sure this family has the finest members in the region! Am I making myself clear?"

The maid staggered getting up. She reached full height and the rest of the staff saw blood trail down her face. "Yes, Lord Yarrington, your words are law and I hear them loud and clear. Please, I hope you can forgive my rudeness."

Wentworth scowled and hit her with his cane again, knocking her to the floor.

Mendy gasped when she saw the maid take another hit and lay motionless.

Wentworth stared at her before facing the rest of the staff. "Let this be a warning to you! You are to teach my daughter how to be a proper lady! Otherwise, you'll receive this! Now, clean up this trash!"

He walked over to Vivian and they proceeded up the stairs.

Mendy's eyes widened as she saw them coming. If they saw her out of bed, she'd be in big trouble. She scurried until she entered another room and hid behind the door.

Her parents walked down the hall whispering to themselves. "How many classes has it been and she still can't do a proper introduction? That girl is becoming the most worthless member of this family!"

Vivian nodded. "I couldn't agree more. Honestly, no matter how many times we go over it, she just doesn't get it. She's without a doubt a failure. It's been hard to imagine she could do anything for this family at all."

Wentworth scoffed. "As long as things go the way we've planned, it won't matter if she can't remember her own name at all."

Mendy watched them disappear into their bedroom. With tears in her eyes, she slowly left the room and headed down the hallway, hoping they didn't see her. She didn't want to upset them any further.

She turned a corner and ran into a pair of legs. She looked up into the middle-aged face of her caretaker. "Mr. Owen."

Abdiel smiled. "Lady Margarete, what are you doing up at this hour? Come on, let's get you back to bed."

He picked her up and carried her down the hall to her room. After tucking her in, he rubbed her head. "Please don't mind your parents, Lady Margarete. They have quite a lot on their minds."

Mendy sniffed back her tears. "But Daddy and Mommy said I was a failure… and that I wasn't getting anything. And why is Daddy so mean?"

Abdiel gave her a hug. "I'm sure they didn't mean it, Lady Margarete. You're not a failure at all. You're a beautiful bud just waiting to bloom. I know it's a lot to take in at your tender age, but it'll sink in soon. Just keep your chin up. I know they'll be very proud of you."

Mendy smiled and nodded. She could always count on Abdiel to make her feel better.

* * *

The following day, Mendy stood in the center of the living room surrounded by her maids, each giving her lessons for the day. She stood clad in a little sky-blue dress with her hair cascading down to the floor. Her parents stood on the other end of the room observing her. She could feel their eyes glaring at her, taking notes on each mistake she made. She hated having them there. She couldn't think straight with them around.

One of the maids knelt down in front of her and talked her through ballroom etiquette; teaching her proper responses and actions. "Okay, Lady Margarete, let's try this again. When someone comes up to you, you curtsy and say, 'it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance' and then state your name. Okay? Let's see you give it a try."

Mendy froze when she saw the maid, the same maid from yesterday who got hurt from her father. Bandages had been wrapped around her head to the point they covered an eye. If she messed up again, the maid might get hurt even worse next time. She turned to see her parents still glaring at her as if they expected her to mess up.

She shook as her nerves took over, turned back to the maid, and gave a slow wobbly curtsy. "M-My n-name is… n-name is… M-Margarete E-Elea… nora…"

She froze. She couldn't remember the rest. She knew it though. She'd gone over it hundreds of times. She looked up and saw the faces of her parents turn angrier. Their faces caused her nerves to overwhelm her and tears filled her eyes as her breathing hastened.

The maid looked at her with concern. "Lady Margarete, are you okay? What's wrong?"

She couldn't answer or even think. The sound of her parents yelling filled her head and blocked out any other thoughts. She didn't want them to yell at the maid again, but she couldn't remember the rest.

The sound of Wentworth's cane hitting the floor caught the attention of everyone in the room. He slowly approached Mendy and waved every maid to back away. "How can you be five years old and still not know your own damn name? You have to be the most worthless daughter ever to not even get a simple greeting memorized!"

Tears fell down her face and she darted out of the room. The maids followed, all screaming her name, but she refused to stop. She just wanted to get as far away from her parents as possible. She opened the front door and ran out as fast as she could move. She didn't care where, she just had to go somewhere, anywhere.

She ran until she came to the edge of Cerulean Cape. She looked over the vast sea as she caught her breath. She'd never seen anything like this before. The ocean sparkled and lapped her face with each crashing wave. However, even the beautiful scenery couldn't erase what had happened. Every memory up to that point broke her down to tears. She sat on the grass and cried.

"Hey, why're you crying?"

Mendy looked up and saw a young girl. She wore pink shorts, a green shirt, and a baseball cap. Band-aides had been applied to her nose and cheek. In her hands, she carried a small blue creature she had never seen before. She scooted back in fear at the sight of the unknown creature. She didn't know it then, but that encounter changed her life. She never met anyone like Nami. Her carefree nature put her at ease allowing her to give an introduction flawlessly. For the first time, she could laugh.

* * *

Mendy had reached the point in her day where they allowed her a break. She told her maids she was heading to the bathroom and would be back. She moved slowly down the hallway, careful not to make any noise. She peeked around a corner and moved some hair behind her ear. She made a promise to her new friend that she'd meet her at Cerulean Cape again around this time. She had to see her. When everything seemed clear, she dashed out and headed for the front door.

She barely touched the knob when a voice called out to her. "Lady Margarete! Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?"

Mendy turned to see the head maid Solare walk up to her. She looked near her early forties and had blonde hair and green eyes behind rectangular-framed glasses. Mendy gulped and scrambled to find an answer to her question, but Solare didn't give her time to reply.

She marched over to her and glared at her. "You know you're not supposed to be playing outside. You have work to do. Now come along!"

She grabbed Mendy by the hand and escorted her down the hallway. Mendy tried to free her hand, but Solare's grip tightened. "W-Wait, please, Miss Solare, I need to… um… I need to-,"

Solare continued to drag her down the hallway. "You need to finish your lessons before Lord Yarrington chews my head off again! Every time you fail at something, we get scolded! Now come!"

At that, Mendy stopped resisting and followed Solare to her next lesson with her head down in defeat.

The sun began to set and the wind blew softly as Nami stood on Cerulean Cape holding Azurill in her hands. She'd been waiting since that afternoon, but Mendy never showed. With a solemn sigh, she dropped her shoulders and left.

* * *

Mendy continued to use the same excuse throughout the week. She peeked around the door and smiled when she saw no one around. She had the front door in her sights. She'd failed to reach the door for the past six days, she had to make it this time. She dashed out from behind the door only to be stopped by Solare again.

She stood with her arms crossed as she looked down on Mendy. "Lady Margarete! Why are you so fixated on going outside? You're not going anywhere except to your studies, understand?"

Solare grabbed her by the arm and dragged her down the hall again. Mendy tried her best to wrench her arm out, but Solare had a firm grip on her that showed no signs of letting up. This would make it a whole week she didn't meet up with Nami. Tears filled her eyes as the distance between her and the front door widened.

"And just where are you going with Lady Margarete, Miss Solare?"

Mendy turned to see Abdiel standing in the middle of the hallway with his arms behind his back and a smile on his face.

Solare jerked Mendy forward. "I found Lady Margarete heading for the front door. No doubt trying to skip out on her lessons again. I'm taking her to them right now."

Abdiel nodded. "I see, I see. But that won't be necessary. I'll take things from here."

Solare scoffed. "I appreciate the offer, Abdiel, but I've got this."

Abdiel slightly tilted his head. "I don't think you heard me, Miss Solare. I said I'll take things from here." He slowly opened his normally squinted eyes and glared at her.

She froze when she gazed back at his fierce dark blue eyes.

Each step he took sent a chill down her spine. "I'm Lady Margarete's caretaker. It's my responsibility to see to all her needs. And right now, she needs you to let go of her hand, before she sees something unpleasant."

Solare tensed up. She knew he held more authority than she did. The only people he took orders from were Margarete's parents. She reluctantly released Mendy's hand and watched her run toward Abdiel.

She adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. "In that case, I shall accompany you to her lessons, Abdiel."

"Again, not necessary." Solare looked up at him tighten his gloves and could sense an iota of irritation from him. Never had she been this scared of him before. She never imagined he could be this intimidating. "You have duties elsewhere. I suggest you get to them quickly and I want them finished by the end of the day. Are we understanding each other, Miss Solare?"

Solare growled then turned and walked down the hallway.

When she turned a corner, Abdiel placed his hand on Mendy's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Shall we go see Lady Nami now?"

Mendy beamed and gave him a hug. Abdiel led her by the hand toward Cerulean Cape. The warm weather made it the perfect day to be by the ocean.

Mendy, with a large smile spread across her face, ran to the top of the cape. She couldn't wait to see her new friend again and learn more about pokémon. She looked around, but didn't see any sign of Nami.

In the back of her mind, she expected this to happen. She hadn't met up with her in almost a week. Anyone would've given up by then. Mendy sniffed back tears as the realization sunk in.

Abdiel came up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mendy. Maybe she had something to do today. We'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

Mendy nodded and headed back toward the mansion.

"Hey!" Mendy turned to see Nami standing near the edge of the cape, holding Azurill in her hands. "I've been waiting, you know! Aren't you some kind of princess or something? Don't you know it's rude to keep people waiting?"

Mendy dashed toward her and gave her a hug. "I'm so sorry, Miss Nami! I hadn't been able to come by lately!"

Nami waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Come on! Let's go do something fun!"

Abdiel watched from a distance as Mendy and Nami played together with Azurill around the edge of the cape. Spent of all their energy, the girls relaxed on the ground and stared up at the sky.

"You study martial arts, Miss Nami?"

Nami nodded. "Yep. My dad is the master of this huge dojo in Saffron City. Fighters come from all over the world just to challenge him, but he's never lost. He trains hard every day with his pokémon and he's taught me how to fight."

Mendy looked at her with admiration. "That's so amazing, Miss Nami!"

Nami grinned. "Well, it's really easy when the world's greatest martial artist is your teacher. So, Mendy, what do you wanna do when you grow up?"

Mendy looked at her then twiddled her fingers. "Well, I don't know, Miss Nami-,"

Nami turned to her and shoved her finger in face. "Hey, what's with all this 'Miss Nami' stuff? My name is just 'Nami'."

Mendy bowed her head. "I'm sorry. Father and Mother taught me to always use honorifics when addressing anyone. They say its proper manners."

Nami sighed. "Wow, talk about a stuffy life. Do your folks even know how to have fun at all? They just seem to be all about rules to me."

Mendy shook her head. "I don't know. Whenever I see them, they always seem to be in a bad mood. They don't even like it when I try to cheer them up. They just say I need to focus on becoming a proper lady and to let them handle everything else. That also includes my future. They want me to become a noble aristocrat just like them."

Nami jumped up and scratched her head. "Yeah, I don't know exactly what a no bull wrist rat is, but it sounds like a real pain. You know what? You should become a pokémon trainer. That's what I'm gonna do when I grow up."

Mendy looked up at her grinning friend. "A pokémon trainer?"

Nami nodded. "Yup! We can even travel together! It'll be the best! Just the two of us! We can go all over the world and learn about pokémon, see lots of different places and people, and we'll get to battle and stuff! It'll be awesome!"

Mendy beamed at the idea. She had no idea there could be such an endeavor. "Will we be able to see even cuter pokémon like Azurill?"

Nami's grin widened. "We sure can! What do you say? Let's go on a journey together!"

Mendy nodded and stood up. "That sounds fantastic! Let's do it!"

* * *

With the promise to meet up again, Mendy, with Abdiel's help, managed to sneak out to the mansion again to see Nami. She loved being able to dodge the rest of the staff and meet up with her secret friend. Abdiel bought her a change of clothes so no one outside the mansion would be able to recognize her.

She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a large brown box. Inside, she found a pair of jeans, sneakers, a long-sleeve shirt, and a pink baseball cap. She quickly changed into her new clothes, tied her hair and stuffed it into the cap. She looked in the mirror and smiled. She looked like Nami, a regular girl.

She placed her other clothes in the box, pushed it back underneath her bed and snuck out of her room.

Abdiel, wearing khaki pants and a red sweater, waited for her in their usual meeting place, the rose bushes on the side of the mansion.

She made her way to the cellar, navigated through its honeycombs, and climbed up the ladder near the end to the rose garden. There, she met Abdiel standing patiently with a smile. Together they made their way out of the mansion grounds toward the cape where Nami awaited them.

After meeting up with Nami, Abdiel brought them to the city, the place Mendy had always wanted to explore, but instantly became weary with the daily bustle. All the people moving in such close proximity with each other made her feel uneasy. She held Nami's hand while walking down the sidewalk, hoping no one would recognize her.

Nami took notice of her nervousness and smiled. "Wow, I thought you were kidding when you said you've never been to the city before. But you don't have to be scared. No one's gonna hurt ya."

Mendy swallowed her nerves. "I can't help it. Everything's so busy and there's so many people here."

Abdiel smiled. "I know the city can be intimidating, Mendy, but please be open to the experience. Everything is going to be all right. Now, why don't we go and get something to eat? I know of a special place that is very dear to my heart."

Both girls beamed and followed. Abdiel led them through the town until they came across a ramen shop near the edge of the city. Abdiel walked up to the counter, took a seat on the red-cushioned stools, and waved for the girls to join him.

Mendy finally got in her seat and looked around the shop. The cracked, wooden counter and squeaky stool chairs gave the shop a very rustic feel.

The balding man behind the stove, wearing a sweat and grease-stained shirt under a dulled-white apron, stood tall and firm as he folded his hairy arms. He looked to be around the same age as Abdiel and spoke with a raspy breath, as though something had been caught in his throat. "Well, Abdiel! What a surprise, my friend! Haven't seen you in a while! What's the latest?"

Abdiel smiled. "It's great to see you too, Gata. It has been quite some time, hasn't it? I do apologize, but you know how things are with work and all."

Gata raised his hand to stop him from talking. "Say no more, I know what ya mean. Well, it's good to see you, my friend; and who are these lovely young ladies with you?"

Abdiel turned and pointed to each girl. "This is Mendy and Nami. I wanted to show them some of my favorite spots in Cerulean. Could you please get them a bowl of your special?"

Gata gave him a thumbs-ups and smiled. "Coming right up!" With that, he went to work preparing the meal.

Nami turned to Abdiel and tugged on his sleeve. "Say, Gramps, who's the geezer?"

Abdiel smiled. "He's an old friend of mine from my school days. He's always wanted to open his own ramen shop and when he did, he became the best ramen chef in Kanto. I don't think I've tasted anything even close to his cooking."

Gata threw his head back and laughed. "You got that right, Abdiel! Young ladies, you won't find any other shop that makes ramen like I do. That I guarantee!"

He finished the dishes, and placed a bowl in front of each of them. Mendy stared at hers in confusion. Before her eyes rested a large bowl of steaming noodles topped with two boiled eggs, chopped vegetables, and a pair of chopsticks neatly placed on the side.

Normally, the servants would bring the food to her one small dish at a time and tell her how to eat it. But this man, he just slid the bowl of grease toward her and plopped down some wooden twigs. She didn't know how to tackle such a weird meal, especially without any silverware.

She continued staring at the bowl before she heard Nami cry in excitement. "This… is… amazing! This is so good! Mendy, what're you waiting for? Hurry!"

Abdiel picked up her chopsticks, broke them apart and handed them to her. He then showed her how to properly hold them and pick up the noodles.

After several failed attempts, Mendy finally got the noodles to stay in between her chopsticks. The moment she slurped the ramen into her mouth, she froze. The taste, the texture, the simplicity, a geyser of flavor exploded on her taste buds. She'd never tasted anything like this before. The family chefs had the best culinary skills in Kanto, but they didn't come close to this masterpiece. The best part, she didn't have to worry about which utensil to use. Before she knew it, she finished her bowl.

Abdiel took notice to Mendy staring at the empty bowl. "Did you enjoy your meal, Mendy?"

Mendy nodded. "Would you like another bowl?"

She nodded again.

When her second bowl arrived, Abdiel stopped her, brought over a bottle of mayonnaise, and poured some into the bowl. "Now, try the noodles."

Mendy picked up her mayo noodles and slurped them up. Her eyes widened. The mayonnaise made the noodles even tastier than before. After her bowl of mayo ramen, she rubbed her plump stomach satisfied.

Nami slurped the rest of the broth before setting her bowl down. "Gramps that was the best!"

Abdiel set his bowl down and turned to Nami. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Lady Nami. And I see you're quite happy, Mendy."

A wide smile spread across Mendy's face and she nodded. "Mr. Owen, I've never had anything so tasty before! Thank you!"

Abdiel smiled. "Don't thank me, thank Gata. He is the best ramen chef in Kanto. Now then, shall we continue our day?"

They walked across the city toward a café where Mendy enjoyed her first ice cream sundae. They explored the malls and tried on several items of clothes. Visiting many shops and trying a variety of things made Mendy happier than she'd ever been. To spend the entire day with her best friend and Abdiel made her feel relaxed and content.

Abdiel glanced at his watch as the sun began to set. "It looks like we have to be heading back. Come along, Mendy."

He grabbed her hand and they turned to Nami.

Mendy looked up at Abdiel. "Mr. Owen, thank you for today. It was amazing."

Abdiel smiled. "My pleasure, Mendy. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. How about you, Lady Nami? Did you have a good time as well?"

Nami nodded. "Oh yeah! Today was the best! Thanks, Gramps!"

Abdiel nodded. "You're welcome. Shall we get going now, Mendy? We'll see you soon, Lady Nami. Be careful getting home."

* * *

Mendy and Abdiel returned to the mansion and Mendy immediately slipped into her evening clothes as fast as she could. As soon as she finished dressing, she heard a knock on the door.

It opened and Solare stormed into the room. "Lady Margarete, where have you been all day? You were supposed to be in your lessons! Where did you disappear to?"

Mendy stuttered for an answer. She couldn't tell her about her day. She'd never leave the mansion again.

As Solare approached closer, Abdiel, now clad in his usual butler attire, stepped into the room. "I'm afraid that's my doing, Miss Solare. I took Lady Margarete out of the mansion for a while."

Mendy's eyes widened, wondering what he was doing.

Solare turned to Abdiel. "Abdiel, what could you possibly be thinking? You know she has to attend to her lessons. If the Lord and Mistress find out about this…"

"There won't be an issue, Miss Solare. For you see, while she and I were out, I gave her some private lessons. I've noticed Lady Margarete seems quite pressured while she's surrounded by all her maids and servants as well as the watchful gaze of her parents. However, once she's gotten away from it all and takes a breather, she does quite well. Lady Margarete, could you demonstrate to Miss Solare a proper greeting?"

Mendy nodded then turned to Solare and curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Solare. My name is Margarete Eleanora Natalia Delafontaine Yarrington."

Solare's eyes widened. She couldn't believe she gave a flawless introduction. She turned to Abdiel and cleared her throat. "Well, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed. Well done, Lady Margarete. I can see all your hard work has paid off."

Abdiel smiled. "If that's all, Miss Solare, then would you mind taking care of the rest of your duties? I've noticed a few of them have not been completed."

Solare scowled. "Yes, of course. Right away."

She walked out of the room and Abdiel gave Mendy a thumbs up.

* * *

Seven years had gone by since then. Mendy, now twelve, stood in her bedroom wearing her evening dress and brushing her hair in the mirror with a wide smile on her face. With her birthday being in a week, she couldn't help but be excited. She racked her brain with how she would spend it with Nami and Abdiel. They had to go all out this year. With her parents gone, getting out of the mansion would easier than ever. They had business to take care of in Kalos and had been gone for a few days. She finished brushing her hair when she heard a knock at her door.

One of the maids entered and bowed. "Lady Margarete, your parents have returned from their trip and wish to speak with you. They are waiting for you in their quarters."

Mendy froze. They finished their business in Kalos already? She didn't expect them to be back for another week or so.

She regained her composure and nodded. "Yes, of course, thank you. I'm on my way."

She followed the maid to her parents' quarters, an off section of the mansion to which she never had a reason to go to.

As soon as they approached the double doors, she stopped and turned around. "They are waiting for you inside. Have a good night, Lady Margarete."

When she left, Mendy knocked and opened the door. She walked in and found Abdiel standing against the wall wearing his usual butler attire. "Mr. Owen? What are you doing here?"

The sound of a cane hitting the floor drew her attention to her father and mother standing at the other end of the room. "He's here, because as your caretaker, he needs to hear this. Close the door, Abdiel, and Margarete come stand over here."

Mendy stood in the middle of the room all the while wondering what this was all about. She looked over at Abdiel who hadn't said a word since she entered the room. His silence worried her, and she hoped this session with her parents wouldn't take long.

Wentworth cleared his throat and took a couple steps toward Mendy. "Margarete, as you know, your thirteenth birthday is coming up. As such, it is time for one of the most sacred ceremonies of nobles to be held. We've completed all the paperwork and your engagement is now finalized."

Mendy felt her heart drop. "Engagement? What engagement?"

Wentworth slammed his cane down. "Do not talk unless I give you permission! Is that clear, Margarete?"

Mendy lowered her head. "Yes, Father. Please forgive me."

Wentworth nodded. "That's better. Now, as I was saying. The engagement ceremony is one of the most sacred and pure traditions of the noble community. When the pure-blooded daughter of a noble turns thirteen, she is to be engaged. After the ceremony, she goes to live with her fiancée for the next three years. When she turns sixteen, she officially marries into the family and thus begins her new life. Margarete, you have been promised to Prince Elliott Montcroix."

Mendy looked at him in shock. Now it all made sense. They traveled to Kalos specifically for this purpose. The business trip centered on her engagement.

She straightened herself up and bowed her head. "Permission to speak, Father."

Wentworth squinted his eyes in annoyance. "What is it?"

Mendy lifted her head. "Father, how can I be promised to someone I don't even know? This is rather sudden, isn't it? Aren't there steps we have to take before the decision of marriage is even put on the table?"

Wentworth grinned. "There's no need, Margarete. As head of the family, I felt it was in our best interest to cement the marriage as quickly as possible. You see, the union between our two houses will be of great value to me. As such, I need you to be the catalyst for the union."

Mendy stared at him with blank eyes. "A… catalyst? But, what do you mean? Don't I get a say in any of this? What if we don't even like each other?"

Wentworth scoffed. "I could care less if Prince Elliott likes you or not. The only worth you'll ever be able to contribute to this family is being the bridge that connects our two houses. When the engagement ceremony is over, Prince Elliott can do whatever he wants with you."

Mendy dropped her shoulders. She felt cold and out of breath. Her whole life, she didn't think they thought of her like this. "I don't… believe this. Father, Mother, I… I… I know I wasn't the greatest in terms of my studies, but you don't really mean that, do you? You still love me, right?"

Wentworth's stern expression did not change. "Why would we ever love a worthless daughter like you? You've been a failure since you've been born. The only reason you've been tolerated up till now was for this specific purpose, where you'll finally be of some use to us."

Mendy's eyes widened. She couldn't believe he just said that. With tears welling up, she dashed out of the room, knocking over an oncoming butler.

She reached her room, slammed the door, and buried her face into her pillow. Wentworth's words swam through her head. She never felt so betrayed before. Her own parents only thought of her as a thing to advance themselves.

As she worked up a good cry, she heard a knock. "Go away!"

The door opened and Abdiel slowly walked in. "Mendy, I…"

Mendy turned to him. For the first time, she felt anger toward him. "Mr. Owen, you liar! Why didn't you tell me? You said Father and Mother loved me and only wanted the best for me! I believed you! Why would you lie to me like that?"

Abdiel quickly drew her into a tight hug. She could hear him crying. "Mr. Owen?"

Abdiel tightened the hug. "I'm so sorry, Mendy. I'm so sorry. I thought for certain they wanted the best for you, that their strict lessons toward you were all for your benefit. I never imagined they held such feelings toward you."

Mendy didn't know what to do. Everything came at her at the same time. She could only let her emotions go at this point and she cried into his arms.

* * *

Mendy stood in front of her parents in the main hall. She wore a dazzling evening dress, festooned in jewels. It had been a week since she found out about her engagement and she spent every day dreading the upcoming event.

Abdiel stood off in the side with his hands behind his back. He eyed Mendy and noticed how depressed she'd become since finding out about the engagement.

His attention fell on Wentworth as he cleared his throat. "Margarete, tomorrow is your birthday. As such, your engagement ceremony will commence. Prince Elliott is on his way here and will arrive tomorrow at noon. I don't need to tell you that the future of this household rests on the outcome of this engagement. Do not dare do anything to ruin this event. Everything will go perfectly. I will not tolerate a single thing going wrong. All you have to do is show up. That should be simple enough for someone like you. Are we clear, Margarete?"

Mendy gave a slow nod. She spoke with a monotone expression, as if all the life had been drained out of her. "Yes, Father, I understand."

Wentworth grinned. "Excellent. Now that that's been taken care of, go to bed. Tomorrow's an important day and your drowsiness will not ruin it. Now get going."

Mendy bowed. "Yes, Father."

Mendy turned and walked down the hallway toward her room.

Abdiel noticed her dead eyes and stiff walk. In a mere few days, the lively Mendy he'd known for twelve years became a soulless puppet. He clenched his fists, trying to hold in the anger he had toward his employers. How could anyone treat their own children this way?

Wentworth turned to him. "Abdiel. Go make sure everything is ready for tomorrow. I want nothing to be left unchecked. I will not tolerate even the slightest thing to go wrong."

Abdiel bowed. "As you wish, Lord Wentworth."

Abdiel walked out and closed the door behind him. He had to do something. He couldn't allow Mendy to suffer like this.

* * *

That night, Mendy lay in her bed and listened to the heavy rain outside. It was after midnight and she still couldn't fall asleep. How could she? With her engagement being less than twelve hours away, she didn't care whether she slept or not.

She thought about Nami and how she wouldn't be able to see her after today. Tears fell down her cheek as the realization hit her. She perked up when she heard a soft knock on her door. It slowly opened and Abdiel stepped in.

Mendy dried her eyes and looked up at him. "Mr. Owen? What's going on?"

Abdiel held a finger to his lips and motioned for her to lower her voice. He sat on her bed and spoke in a whisper. "Mendy, I'm getting you out of here."

Mendy eyes widened in shock. "Wait. What do you mean?"

Abdiel took her hand in his. "Mendy, I've been your caretaker and watched you grow up for thirteen glorious years. I've enjoyed every single moment of it. The one thing I want most in this world is to see you happy. That's why I can't just stand by and watch your life be thrown away like this. Come on. Get dressed into your clothes. We're leaving right now."

Mendy did as she was told and changed into her casual clothing.

She just finished tucking the rest of her hair into her hat when Abdiel softly knocked on the door. "Mendy, are you ready yet?"

Mendy slowly opened the door. "I'm ready."

Abdiel nodded. "All right then, let's go."

They moved quickly and silently throughout the mansion. Abdiel took Mendy down the hallway until they came toward the door to the cellar. "Now you must hurry. Follow this passage until you reach our meet-up spot. There's something for you there. Then, immediately head over to Lady Nami's house."

Mendy nodded then took a step into the cellar before turning around. Abdiel stood at the top of the stairs with a smile on his face. "Come on, Mr. Owen. We have to go! Hurry!"

Abdiel shook his head. "I'm afraid I won't be joining you, Mendy. I have other matters I must attend to first. Besides, I'd only slow you down. These old bones aren't suited for traveling anymore."

Mendy teared up. "But, what about you? What'll Father and Mother do if they find I'm gone tomorrow? I don't want anything to happen to you. Please, you have to come with me!"

She gave him a hug and cried.

Abdiel rubbed and kissed her head. "Don't worry about me. I may not be fit for traveling the world, but I've still got some fight left in me. You just worry about getting your adventure started. I'll deal with your parents. The longer I stall them, the more time you have to get outside the city. They won't be able to follow you at that point. Now hurry."

Mendy wiped away her tears and headed into the cellar. She stopped to turn around and stare at Abdiel. She didn't know if she'd ever see him again. She wanted just one more look before taking off. She headed back down the passage and Abdiel closed the door.

She ran through the cellar and made it to the ladder leading to the rose bushes. She opened up the door and the heavy rain immediately drenched her as she closed the exit.

As soon as she closed it shut, she looked over at the rose bushes and just as Abdiel said, her present awaited her underneath a small awning. A purple and silver mountain bike sat patiently within the bushes, waiting for its new owner. She recognized this particular bike. It was the same one she saw a while ago. She fell in love with it at first sight. She begged Abdiel to buy it for her, but he refused saying it was far too expensive and she didn't even know how to ride one yet. Since then, she practiced with Nami until she could. She didn't know he had already bought it for her. A yellow backpack hung on the handlebars and a card was in one of the pockets.

She opened it up and read:

My precious Mendy,

May this gallant steed help you reach your dreams, the stars, and beyond. I know the path you choose will lead you toward a most wonderful future. I'll be rooting for you and thinking of you every day. Please stay safe, my little adventurer, and Happy Birthday!

Love,

Abdiel

Mendy teared up. She held the card to her chest and let the tears fall down her cheeks. As she picked up her new backpack, she found another piece of paper attached to it. She read the contents and her eyes widened.

"Wait… this is-,"

She looked up at her home and realized she didn't have time to worry about it or even investigate. She took her new backpack and bike and made her way toward Nami's house.

* * *

The storm raged on, but couldn't drown out the sound of the knocking on the door.

Nami stirred in her sleep as the banging grew louder and continued without stopping. She got out of bed and walked toward the door in irritation. "Okay! Okay! I'm coming! Whoever is banging on the door at this ungodly hour better have a really good excuse. Otherwise, I'm gonna be pissed." She unlocked the door and swung it open. "Who the hell-?" She paused when she saw Mendy standing on her doorstep drenched and crying. Nami's eyes widened in horror. "Mendy! What happened to you? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

Mendy rushed in and hugged her. Her body shook and trembled from the cold and from crying. She told Nami all that had happened while Nami gave her a blanket, dry clothes, and a cup to tea.

"So, they really said all that?"

Mendy gave a slow nod.

Nami heaved a sigh and then stood up. "All right then. We're leaving!"

Mendy looked up at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Nami grinned. "Our adventure's gonna start today! Gramps gave you the perfect opportunity to get away from this place, didn't he? I'd imagine he wouldn't want you to waste it. So, come on. We're gonna gather some supplies, get a few hours' sleep, and then blow out of here."

Mendy gripped her cup and then looked up at Nami with renewed determination. "First, there's something I need to do."

The rain had finally stopped and Nami followed Mendy outside toward one of the hills where Mendy took a pair of scissors and cut her hair off to shoulder-length. The wind blew gently off the nape of her neck. She opened her hand and let her hair blow away. She heaved a deep sigh as her hair fluttered in the wind.

Nami placed her hand on Mendy's shoulder. "So, you ready to get started?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, just you and me. Finally, we'll make our dream a reality."

Nami grinned. "Yeah, and no matter what, I swear I'll never let you go through that again. I'll always have your back."

Mendy teared up and smiled. Nami smiled back as she gazed upon Mendy's award-winning smile.

* * *

Ayden and Jin sat in silence as Mendy finished her story. She pushed a bit of hair behind her ear and took in a deep breath. "Well, there you have it, my rise and fall from nobility. You can see now why I was so adamant about getting away from here as soon as possible. Father has jurisdiction influence over the city. So, as long as I stay out of it, he can't do anything."

Jin leaned back and scratched his head. "I have no idea what to say, Mendy."

Nami stepped forward. "There's nothing more to say. What's done is done. We got Mendy back and we can skip town without anyone finding us. So, come on, let's get out of here already."

Mendy looked up at Nami and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let's get out of here and for good this time."

They all stood up and then looked up at a large black hovercraft as it made its way toward the city. Their eyes widened when they saw the silver 'C' on the side.

Ayden clenched his fists and Nami nudged Mendy. "Hey, isn't that the same logo the people at Mt. Moon were wearing?"

Jin turned to them. "Wait, you guys ran into them too?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, they were pretty persistent. Anyway, let's get out of town before they discover we're here."

Nami grabbed her bag and noticed Mendy hadn't moved at all. "Mendy! What're you doing? Come on! We have to go!"

Mendy dropped her shoulders. "I… I can't do that, Nami. Look at where it's headed. It's heading straight for my house! My parents and everyone are still there! We have to go help them!"

Nami dropped her bag and placed her hands on Mendy's shoulders. "Are you insane? Do you even remember what your dad said to you? He doesn't even care about you!"

Mendy shook her head. "I know! I know my parents and I have never seen eye-to-eye, but this could the one chance I have to make them see that this is the path for me! To make them see that pokémon mean a lot to me and then maybe we can patch things up! I mean, can a parent really not love their own child?"

Nami stared at Mendy's face and knew nothing she said could change her mind. "Okay fine, you win. They obviously mean a lot to you. So, let's go help them. I've got your back."

Mendy smiled. "Thank you, Nami."

Jin wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "And you can count me in! I'll help you guys out anywhere, any time! Hey, Ayden, come on! Get in on this, man!"

Ayden didn't reply as he stood staring at Mendy's house, deep in thought. He furrowed his brow and clenched his fists. "Piik, we can't allow them to do as they please regardless where they show up. Even if I'm not their target this time. Let's go."

Piik nodded. She would never forgive any of them for what they've done to Ayden up until this point. If Ayden wanted them annihilated, she wouldn't stop until their hearts did.

"Hey, Ayden!" Jin's voice snapped both Ayden and Piik out of their thoughts. They looked over to see him waving to them. "Come on! We're doing a team moment! This is for Mendy's sake!"

Ayden and Piik both heaved a sigh and shrugged. He walked over and joined the huddle.

Jin brought him in closer to the group. "All right! Let's go kick some butt and jot down some names!"

* * *

The hovercraft sailed toward the Yarrington mansion while Heida sat in her seat gripping the armrests with anticipation. Within the walls of that mansion rested the fragment Captain Rose needed. She had been given this order by her personally. She couldn't afford to fail.

A grunt turned his head toward Heida. "Ma'am, we've arrived at our destination. Preparing to land."

Heida nodded. "Excellent! All units, gear up and ready for infiltration! We'll storm the mansion and retrieve the fragment at all costs!"

All her subordinates replied with a "Yes, Ma'am" and readied themselves for the mission.

The hovercraft made its way toward the grounds of the mansion. The guards, guests, and television reporters all watched as it descended upon them. The hovercraft landed in the courtyard with a deafening thud; breaking fountains and flattening the shrubbery.

The grunts exited the hovercraft and rushed into the mansion, using their pokémon to fire off one attack after another.

An alarm sounded and the guards and soldiers from both Montcroix and Yarrington families quickly responded to the threat, but found themselves quickly overpowered.

The maids, butlers, guards, and even the news reporters all had their wrists bound behind their backs and forced into a single group in the main hallway.

Wentworth and Vivian had been backed into a corner by several grunts, each ready to unleash their pokémon on them.

Wentworth, took a step forward. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you people and what do you possibly want from us? If you desire money, we can give you as much as you wish! Just leave us be!"

Heida walked toward the scared aristocrats with her hands in her pockets and a smirk on her face. Her subordinates saluted her as she walked by. "Money? Please, as if we'd want something as trivial as that. No, we seek something far more valuable and vastly important."

Wentworth blinked in confusion. "I don't understand! What could you all possibly want?"

Heida grinned and pointed at his cane. "We want the jewel embedded in your cane, old man!"

Wentworth's eyes widened as he looked at the crimson jewel on his cane. "You can't be serious! This is an heirloom! It's been in my family for generations!"

Heida's smirk spread into a smile. "I couldn't care less how long it's been in your family, old man. You either give us the jewel, or we force you to."

She snapped her fingers and one of her subordinates tossed a pokéball into the air and a Scyther popped out. The green, human-sized, mantis-like pokémon stood proud as the grunt then went up to Vivian and forced her into Scyther's grip.

Wentworth took a step toward them, but quickly backed up when the other grunts moved forward. "What are you doing? Unhand my wife this instant!"

Heida laughed. "You honestly think you're giving the orders around here? Listen up, you either give us the jewel, or we'll take it by force and you can place your wife's head on the end of the cane instead."

Scyther positioned its claws up to Vivian's neck and Wentworth tightened his grip on his cane. "You cowards!"

Heida stepped forward. "Look, old man, we don't have all day. So, here's what we're gonna do. I'm giving you five seconds to hand the jewel over before Scyther lobs her head clean off!"

Tears streamed down Vivian's face as Scyther dug deeper into her skin. "Wentworth! Please, just give them what they want!"

Heida held up her hand. "Five!"

Wentworth looked around them and scurried for something to say. "I-If its jewels you want, we have plenty more where this came from! Please take as much as you like! Please, I beg you just leave this one piece alone!"

Heida withdrew a finger. "Four!"

Wentworth tightened his grip on his cane. "Look, I'm a reasonable and very wealthy man! I can give you all the money and resources you need! I can even give you jurisdiction protection!"

Heida withdrew another finger. "Three!"

Vivian's eyes grew wider. "Wentworth! Just give them the jewel already!"

Scyther dug its claw deeper into her throat until blood trickled out.

Heida turned toward Vivian. "You stay quiet! As for you, old man, I must say, you're being very stubborn. All I want is that jewel and you're going to risk your own wife's life for it? Two!"

Sweat fell down Wentworth's face. He couldn't give up the jewel. It had been in his family for generations. He could never part with it.

Heida withdrew another finger. "One… times up, old man. Hope you'll be able to live with your decision. Just remember, you brought this on yourself. Do it!"

The grunt gave the order and Scyther prepared to slice Vivian's throat.

Vivian looked up at Wentworth and saw him tightly gripping his cane with his eyes closed. She couldn't believe it. He actually chose the jewel over her.

As Scyther's claw grazed her neck, a jet stream of water hit Scyther in the back, causing it to lose its grip on Vivian.

Heida and her grunts looked up to see Mendy and the others fly into the room on Fearow and Heracross. Heida's eyes widened when she saw Ayden. Silver hair and a blue-cheeked Pikachu, exactly as Rose had described him. To think he could take on so many of her peers already and come out on top. She didn't have time to think about that though. She had to complete her mission. "All units, attack! Get that jewel at all cost! Crawdaunt! Get out here and get rid of these pests!"

She threw her pokéball and Crawdaunt popped out and landed with a boom. The red crustacean swung its large pincers around, ready to destroy anything it came across.

All her grunts summoned their pokémon and readied themselves for the imminent brawl.

Nami, Jin, and Ayden also readied themselves for the fight. Jin called out Vulpix and Clefairy while Nami called out Marill and Staryu. Piik jumped off Ayden's shoulder and charged her cheeks.

While both sides commenced with the battle, Scyther's trainer took the opportunity to finish the job he'd been given. "Scyther! Finish off the woman and get that jewel!"

Scyther turned to Vivian who lay on the floor frozen in fear. Mendy saw Scyther ready its next attack and made her move.

"Get away from my mom right now! Squirtle, Tackle!"

Squirtle nodded, jumped out of her arms, and ran toward Scyther; ramming it in the head. Scyther reeled from the blow and fainted next to Vivian.

Vivian looked at the unconscious creature in disbelief. A few more seconds and she would've been dead. Whatever that thing is, it could've killed her. She looked up when Mendy ran up to her.

"Mom! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Vivian shook uncontrollably with her voice coming out in nothing more than stuttered gasps. Tears fell down her face as the image of Wentworth not doing anything to help and Scyther's claws touching her neck filled her mind.

Mendy clenched her fists as anger took over. She almost lost her mother, just like how Raye lost her sister. She could see how Raye felt about them now. They really will do anything to get what they want, even if it meant killing innocent people. She refused to let them get away with any of it.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Solare run into the room. "Lord Wentworth, Milady! Are you two all right?" She paused when she saw Vivian in a disheveled state and Mendy kneeling beside her. "Lady Margarete? What are you doing here? How dare you show yourself after what you've done? If you hadn't messed things up, none of this would've-,"

Mendy ran up to her and grabbed her wrist. "Please! Take care of my parents! Get them to a safe spot! My friends and I'll handle these guys!"

Solare blinked in confusion and watched as Mendy ran back into the fray. She couldn't believe her eyes. People and creatures in a war-like battle and the sole heir to the Yarrington name jumped right in the middle of it.

She snapped back to her senses and wrapped her arms around Vivian. "Milady! Please, we need to get to a safer location!"

Vivian stood up, but moved slowly from shock.

The grunts and Mendy's team launched one attack after another and continued to damage the mansion.

Wentworth looked on in horror as his beloved home quickly turned into a battlefield. Margarete and her friends not only ruined his reputation beyond repair, but also had desecrated his home. He got on his knees and crawled away. He had to get to a safe location and hide the jewel. He had to do at least that much.

As Wentworth neared the exit, Heida caught him in the corner of her eye. "And just where do you think you're going, old man? Crawdaunt, Bubblebeam! Don't let him get away!"

Crawdaunt turned to the cowering man and fired a stream of bubbles at him. The bubbles made contact with the floor and exploded in front of him.

In his shock, he covered his head with his hands. He looked up and saw Heida stare at him.

"I'm not leaving here without that jewel, old man. Hurry up and give it to me already!"

She reached for the staff when a bolt of electricity forced her back. She looked up and saw Ayden and Piik glare at her.

Sweat fell down her brow as the duo approached her. He had defeated her colleagues who she could barely hold her own against. There wouldn't be any doubt he could defeat her, especially since he had a type advantage. She had to get the jewel and get away from him fast.

Ayden walked up to her with Piik charging her cheeks. Ayden's and Heida's eyes met and the tension grew as they waited for the other to make the first move.

Wentworth took the opportunity to crawl away.

Heida looked back and him and clicked her tongue. She didn't have time for this. She had to get that jewel. "Crawdaunt! Stop him!"

"Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and fired a shot at Crawdaunt.

"Crawdaunt! Protect!"

Crawdaunt turned around and shielded itself with a multi-colored barrier. Piik's attack bounced off and shot straight into the ceiling. The ceiling crumbled and several chunks fell to the floor.

Wentworth made a run for it, but a boulder struck him in the arm, forcing him to let go of the cane.

The cane skated across the floor toward Heida's feet. She grinned as she reached for it, but quickly pulled back her hand when Piik fired a bolt of electricity at her. She looked up to Ayden glaring at her. All her subordinates were having trouble taking down these kids.

She had hoped to avoid this situation, but she had been left with no other option. "Looks like it can't be helped. Crawdaunt, Double Team!"

At her command, Crawdaunt created doppelgängers of itself and surrounded Ayden and Piik.

Heida smirked. "Okay, now use Bubblebeam!"

"Piik, use Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and released a large amount of electricity. Her attacked repelled the Bubblebeam and simultaneously blew away the Crawdaunt clones.

Heida stared in a combination of amazement and fear. That little Pikachu did all that in one attack. No wonder the higher-ups want it back so badly.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as a thought popped into her head. "Crawdaunt, use Attract!"

Crawdaunt nodded and shot a seductive beam toward Piik.

Before Ayden could respond, the effects of the attack had already hit their target, causing Heida to burst into laughter. "What are you gonna do now, kid? I've completely blocked your Pikachu from attacking! That Pikachu is female and my Crawdaunt is a male! Your Pikachu won't be able to harm-,"

"Piik, Thunderbolt."

Piik charged her cheeks and shot a bolt of electricity at Crawdaunt, zapping the water-type to the ground knocking it unconscious.

Heida gazed at her fallen pokémon in shock. "But, how? I know Attract hit your Pikachu! How could it still fight back?"

Ayden lightly grinned. "Sorry, but you'll need a lot more than that to stop Piik. Her focus is too high for that."

Piik blushed. In all honesty, she just couldn't stand the thought of looking at someone else when she already had Ayden.

Heida backed up as Ayden and Piik walked toward her. She looked around and saw her subordinates dropping one by one and she didn't have any more usable pokémon. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't fail this mission. She had to get the jewel to Rose at all costs.

She pulled a smoke bomb from her pocket and threw it to the ground, filling the entire room with thick black smoke.

Ayden cursed under his breath and then looked up. "Fearow! Blow away the smoke! Quick!"

Fearow complied and flapped his wings as fast as he could. The smoke cleared, revealing several Team Chaos grunts knocked out on the floor and Heida running toward her hovercraft with the cane firmly in her hands. A handful of grunts followed her out the door.

"Piik, use Thunderbolt on the hovercraft!"

Piik charged her cheeks and shot an attack on the hovercraft, causing it to explode into flames. Heida looked on in horror at her burning hovercraft. She looked back at Ayden and the others and regrettably admitted they lost.

Her subordinates turned to her. "Ma'am, what should we do?"

Heida thought for a second then looked up at them. She took the cane in her hands, broke off the jewel, and threw the cane away. "Who still has a functioning flying-type?"

One of her subordinates raised his hand and lent her the pokéball.

She called out a badly beaten Golbat and placed the jewel in its mouth. "Take this jewel to Captain Rose. Do not stop for anything."

Golbat weakly nodded then took off to the sky.

Ayden tried to attack it, but Heida and the others blocked his attempt and Golbat flew off into the distance.

The police soon stormed the mansion and arrested the members of Team Chaos.

Heida smiled and laughed as they applied handcuffs to her. "You're all too late! We've already accomplished what we came for! Soon, very soon, the world will bow before us… before Team Chaos!" She turned to Ayden and grinned. "And you, Carrier! You too shall be ours soon! It'll only be a matter of time before you're in our hands! Heil Schröder! Heil Schröder!"

Ayden watched as the police carted Heida and the others away. As he watched her being pushed into the vehicle, he noticed her look of content. As if arresting her made little to no difference. They drove off and Ayden stood with a sense of dread.

Piik ran up his leg to his shoulders and patted him on the head and he lightly grinned. "Thanks, Piik. Let's go check on the others."

He walked back inside and finally realized how much damage the mansion took. Chunks of the ceiling, glass, and bricks littered the floor, the banister for the staircase hung lopsided, and several steps had been blown away.

Mendy, Jin, and Nami tended to the hostages.

When Mendy freed one of the maids, she looked up at Mendy and smiled. "Thank you, Lady Margarete. I'm so glad you came back."

Mendy nodded and smiled. "No problem. Listen, I have a favor to ask."

The maid listened intently then quickly left the room.

As soon as she ran down the hall, Mendy ran up to her parents as they staggered to get up. "Dad, Mom, are you two all right?"

She placed her hand on her father's shoulders before he abruptly smacked it away. "Are we… all right? Are you kidding me? Look at what you've done to my house! You and those monstrosities of nature have destroyed my beautiful home! To top it off, our treasure has been stolen! Do you have any idea of what you've done, you insolent child?"

Mendy lost all her nerve. For that one moment, she had hoped saving her parents would've made them realize that pokémon weren't all bad and maybe they would finally support her in her dream and admit they love her. However, it only made things worse. Tears welled up in her eyes as her father continued to berate her.

She shifted her gaze to the floor, but he lifted her head by pulling back her hair. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, you worthless child! I have tried to be patient with you! But you continue to disappoint me and this family at every turn! From this day forth, you are no longer a part of this household!" Mendy's eyes widened. "You will be turned over to Elliott's family where you will be his wife! You will be silent and obedient! Perhaps then you will see what you're really worth!"

Nami furrowed her eyebrows and gritted her teeth. She had enough of this. She proceeded toward them when Jin placed his hand on her shoulder and held her back. She turned to him to protest, but he shook his head and pointed toward Ayden as he walked toward Mendy.

Too shocked to utter a single word, Mendy shifted her gaze to the floor again. Her own father, after all this time, after all she'd done to try and make him proud, wanted nothing to do with her. Her one chance to get her parents to accept her blew up in her face. The fact her parents never really loved her struck her harder than ever.

Wentworth's anger rose as he raised his hand. "Didn't I say to look at me when I'm talking to you? You stupid, worthless, girl!"

He swung down and Mendy braced herself when she looked up and she saw Ayden had caught Wentworth's wrist.

Wentworth tried to wrestle out of Ayden's hand. He pulled and tugged with every ounce of strength he had, but he couldn't move. Ayden tightened his grip and Wentworth and Mendy heard his bones crack under the pressure.

After screaming in pain, Ayden let go of him and Wentworth examined his now crushed wrist with widened eyes.

Ayden slowly opened his eyes and glared at Wentworth.

When their eyes met, Wentworth fell over backward in fear. Ayden's eyes had changed. The icy blue and fiery gold combined to create a terror that struck him to his core. He blinked and looked at his eyes again and saw a normal hazelnut. How could this be? He saw it. For a brief moment, he knew the boy's eyes had changed colors; colors neither normal nor human.

Mendy looked at Ayden with concern. Never had she seen him like this.

Ayden took a step forward toward Wentworth. Images of the vision he saw kept flashing through his mind. The pain she suffered, the fear, it all made his blood boil. His eyes burned with the desire to release all his anger on him.

His normally calm voice shook with rage and resonated throughout the entire room. "What… the hell… kind of father… hits his own daughter? What kind of father… berates his own daughter? Dismisses her dreams? Ignores her feelings? You don't deserve to be called a father! This girl saved your neck because she loves you! All she wanted was your support as she tried to realize her dream! Yet you kept belittling and insulting her; treating her as if she was less than human! She is a wonderful person with a beautiful dream! She was willing to do whatever it took for that! The fact she's willing to do anything for that dream, makes her a much better person than you'll ever be! I could never forgive anyone who would even think of striking a person like that! If you so much as touch her again, I'll make you regret it!"

Mendy stood petrified at what she heard. She couldn't believe it. Those words came from him, the last person she ever thought would come to her defense. She never thought he could express himself in such a manner, and to defend her no less. For the first time, she realized his true nature. He really does care for others. His words alone just proved that. His words made her feel empowered. She never felt like this before. This relief. All the pressure she had just disappeared.

Wentworth glared at Ayden and stood up. "You damned brat! Just what do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea of what you've done? As far as this girl goes, I know what she will become and I will-,"

Mendy stepped forward. "No! You don't know me, you don't know what I'll become, and you don't own me! I will follow my dream without your support! I don't need it! So, you can take your cane and shove it up your ass! I don't care what you do anymore!"

Vivian walked toward her. "Margarete! How dare you speak to your father in such a manner! You stop this foolishness this instant! As a noble, you have an image to maintain! This is unbecoming of someone born into a royal bloodline!"

Mendy gave her a death glare. "Shut up!" Vivian backed up in shock. "Image this and image that, that's all I've ever heard from you! The only thing you cared about was keeping up your own image! That's a pretty big attitude from someone who isn't even a noble!"

Vivian's eyes widened and the rest of the room gave her their attention.

Jin turned to Mendy. "Wait, what're you talking about?"

Everyone turned their attention to a maid running into the room crying out Mendy's name. In her hands she held an envelope. "Lady Margarete! I have what you asked for! It was exactly in the spot just like you said!"

She handed the envelope to Mendy who opened it up and scanned through the documents.

After a minute she smirked. "I knew it." She held up the documents for the entire room to see.

A cameraman turned toward Mendy and zoomed in on her.

"I have in my hands your birth certificate, Mom! It says you were born to Mrs. Kerrigan, grandma's head maid! That means you're not a real noble, you're a commoner!"

The whole room turned to Vivian, who stood sweating bullets.

Wentworth approached her. "What is she talking about? What's the meaning of this, Vivian?"

Vivian smiled. "It's nothing, dear. She's just blowing smoke. That birth certificate is nothing more than a fake. The real one is right here in the mansion. You know that."

This time, Mendy smiled. "Are you sure about that? I have a copy of that birth certificate right here as well! Your real one is dated one day prior to the fake! The mistress of the house your real mother served had a miscarriage, while your real mother died giving birth to you! Birth certificates, DNA tests, death records, you can deny it all you want, but the truth is all right here!"

Vivian balled her hands and gritted her teeth. How could she have gotten her hands on those documents? She made certain all records of her birth were to be kept hidden from all and not to be taken out to anyone other than herself.

Wentworth stomped toward her. "Is what she says true? You're a commoner? I should've let that creature lob your head off if that's the case!"

Vivian turned to him. "How dare you! How could you even think of my life being of less worth than that rock of yours?"

At that, the whole room broke into an uproar. The servants and guards whispered amongst themselves and the news crew immediately took up the opportunity.

A female reporter, straightened her hair then turned toward the camera. "A shocking revelation! What started out as a political marriage between two large-scale families, has quickly turned into one of the biggest scandals to ever hit Cerulean! The mistress of the house of Yarrington, Vivian, has been revealed to have been in fact born a commoner by none other than her daughter, Margarete Yarrington! She has come forth with the documents to prove such a claim!"

Vivian backed away as the camera zoomed in on her. "No… wait! It's a lie! She's lying! I'm not a commoner! I'm telling you the truth! She's lying!"

Solare looked up at her. "Milady? Is this true?"

Mendy waved the documents. "I also happen to have the laws of nobility here as well. It says that "pure-blooded" women are married into another family, right? Well, since you're a commoner, that means I'm half noble blood! Therefore, the rules of nobility no longer apply to me! That means the wedding is officially off! Suck on that!"

Vivian glared at Mendy. In one fell swoop, she ruined everything. "Margarete! You… you… ungrateful-,"

Mendy took a step forward. "Ungrateful? What would I have to be grateful for? Both of you have gone on record saying you didn't love me and wanted nothing to do with me. I was just a catalyst for your political advancement, remember? Well, now you have this to deal with and you can thank Mr. Owen for it. He's the one who gave me the clue I needed to find these documents. He's the one who's been treating me like his own daughter all these years. He's my real parent. Now, if you don't mind, I'm continuing my journey to become a gym leader. Goodbye." She headed for the door, then turned back around. "Oh, and another thing… my name is Mendy."

Nami smiled. She couldn't have been prouder.

With that, Mendy walked out of the house leaving her parents stunned and the news crew barking to get a story. Mendy walked outside and the wind hit her with a sense of renewal. Her mind cleared and her body felt light. For the first time, ever since she could remember, she felt free.

Nami, Ayden, and Jin joined her only to be met by Elliott and his guards. His clothes had been torn and covered with mud.

He looked up at Mendy and squinted his eyes. "There you are! And just where do you think you're going, Margarete? Have you forgotten our engagement ceremony? Well, you won't be getting away this time!"

Mendy breathed a sigh. "Oh hello, Elliott. You came at a good time. My folks are just in the middle of the biggest political scandal ever. Get this. Turns out I'm half-commoner."

Elliott's eyes widened as Mendy shoved the documents in his face. He scanned them and gasped. "W-What are you saying? You lie! This cannot be!"

"Oh, it is, Elliott. Read it and weep. These documents prove it too. But I believe you'll understand everything once you get inside. The bottom line is though our engagement is null and void and I'm outta here. Later."

With that, she and the rest of the group walked past a stunned Elliott and headed toward the city.

Elliott fell to his knees in dismay. "My… my political career! I was so close!"

"Prince Elliott, you seem troubled. Is there anything I can get for you?"

Elliott looked up to see Trinity standing over him. She adjusted her glasses and watched as he stood back up. His dirt and mud decorated clothes coupled with his disheveled hair and lack of a left shoe caused a small grin to form on her face.

"Yes, Trinity, prepare my plane. We're heading-," he paused when he heard snickering. He turned to see Trinity trying to hold in her laughter. "Is something funny, Trinity?"

Trinity shook her head, cleared her throat, and her face resumed her stoic composure. "N-Nothing, sir. Yes, I'll prepare your plane, brief you on your upcoming meetings, and… get… you… a change… of… clothes!"

She broke composure and fell to her knees laughing.

Elliott watched as Trinity rolled on the ground in an endless fit of laughter. He hadn't seen her laugh or smile like that in years. He looked at himself and chuckled at his appearance. He had to admit he looked ridiculous. Soon, he too hit the ground laughing at himself. It had been ages since he felt like this.

* * *

Mendy and the others made their way into the city. The bustling streets filled with whispers and talks about the recent uproar in the Yarrington family had little to no effect on her. She could care less about what happened with the Yarrington's reputation. She'd been free of that burden.

Jin moved his hands to the back of his head. "Well, aside from the not-so-subtle stares and whispers, I'd say we did a great job! Mission accomplished, guys!"

Mendy smiled. "Yes, thank you guys for everything. You've helped out in more ways than I can ever express. I honestly don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you." She shot a quick glance at Ayden and the image of him shouting at her father popped into her head. She blushed then looked away. "Hey, before we leave, why don't we all go to the best ramen stand in the region and then maybe go to a maid café for dessert?"

Jin beamed at the thought. "Really? Awesome! Come on let's go!" He dashed down the street toward the ramen stand.

Mendy shook her head and followed him. "Hold on, Jin! You don't even know where the stand is!"

Ayden watched them run down the street and then took a step when Nami stopped him. "Hey!" He turned to her and she averted her eyes.

She stuck her hands into the pockets of her hoodie as she thought about how she never imagined she'd say this to him. "Hey, look, um… remember when I said I didn't think of you as a friend? Well, I still think you have major issues, but… after seeing what you did for Mendy, I'm willing to… reconsider it. I mean, you could've left and been done with all this, but you stuck around and helped when you never had to. I guess what I'm trying to say is… thanks. I couldn't have saved Mendy if you didn't help."

Ayden lightly smiled and extended his hand to her.

Nami looked at it then up at him. She smiled and firmly shook it. "Just so we're clear… you're still not off the hook. You still owe her a bike." She giggled and Ayden shook his head.

Their attention shifted to Mendy yelling at them. "Come on, you two! What's the hold up? I'm so hungry and happy right now I might eat up all the ramen he has!"

Nami waved to her. "All right! We're coming!"

With that, they joined Mendy and Jin and headed for the ramen stand.

* * *

They arrived and Mendy and Nami immediately ran up to the counter. "Hey, Mr. Gata, long time no see! How've you been?"

Gata turned to see a grinning Mendy and Nami. He smiled back and wiped his hands on his apron. "Well, I'll be. If it isn't little Mendy and Nami! I can't believe how much you two have grown! Seems like only yesterday you two could barely see over the counter! And these must be your friends! Welcome!"

Jin bowed. "Hello, sir!"

Gata burst into laughter. "No need to be so polite, son! Come on, have a seat! I'll whip you all up some of my famous ramen!"

He turned to the stove and went to work.

The group took their seats and waited for him to finish.

Mendy turned to Jin and Ayden. "I'm telling you guys; this guy is a ramen genius. Once you eat here, you'll never look at ramen the same way again."

Jin salivated at the thought. "That good, huh? Can't wait."

Gata perked up and turned to the group. "That reminds me. Mendy, I have something for you. It's from Abdiel."

Mendy's eyes widened and she turned to Gata. "Mr. Owen? Really? Where is he? Is he okay?"

Gata nodded. "Last I saw him, he sat down for his usual bowl of ramen and handed this to me. He told me to give it to you when I had the chance."

He walked over and handed Mendy a letter. She opened and read it then burst into tears.

Nami placed her hand on her shoulders. "Mendy, what's wrong? Is he okay?"

Mendy nodded. "Yes, he says he's doing just fine. He was able to get away after all. He's living in the Pokémon League Village at Indigo Plateau and says he awaits the day we meet again." She sniffed back her tears and hugged Nami. "He's okay! He's okay! I thought I'd never get the chance to see him again!"

A tear fell down Nami's cheek as she comforted Mendy. "I'm so happy for you, Mendy. Come on, let's go pay him a visit. Hey, Ayden! You said you're entering the Pokémon League, right? Well, hurry up and get the rest of your badges so we can see Gramps!"

Jin smiled. "Yeah, I wanna meet him too. It's only thanks to him we were even able to meet Mendy in the first place."

Ayden gave a nod and Piik pumped her fists into the air.

Mendy smiled as tears rained down her cheeks. She'd never been happier. She could finally see her father again.

* * *

Rose sat at her desk gazing at the photos of Ayden she duplicated. She picked one up and gently caressed it, thinking of how much she'd love to touch the real thing.

Her phone rang, knocking her out of her daydreams, and she picked it up in annoyance. "This is Captain Rose… A messenger Golbat just arrived with the fragment? Fantastic… I see. Lieutenant Heida has been caught, has she? Well, no big loss. As long as we have the fragment, that's all that matters. Bring it to sector 4 and we'll begin the next phase in looking for the other pieces of the Red Chain."

She hung up and picked up the photo again. "Very soon, you'll be all mine."


	12. The New Generation Genius

**Hello! Welcome to chapter 12 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! As usual, thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think of the story so far. Expect chapter 13 to be posted around the same time next month. Thank you all again and have a Happy New Year!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 12**

The calm night enveloped Cerulean after the major events of the day prior. Television news channels all had been flooded with reports on Mendy's family and their secret. However, Mendy no longer cared as she finally rid herself of that part of her life for good.

Ayden and the others retired to the Pokémon Center after celebrating their victory at the ramen stand. Ayden slept on the far right bed of the room with Piik sound asleep next to his head. He tightly gripped the blankets and clenched his teeth as he tossed his head back and forth. The visions of his dream caused him to breathe heavily and perspire.

The car hit the guard rail and toppled over the edge toward the water below. It somersaulted several times before hitting the surface. The moment the car made contact Ayden's eyes opened and he sat up with a jolt.

He shook as he tightened his grip on the blanket and desperately drew in breath. He looked around and relaxed when he saw the others hadn't woken up. Ayden turned his attention to Piik who softly slept on his pillow curled up in a ball. He smiled and stroked her head before heading toward the restroom. Piik stirred and awoke in time to see Ayden turn on the light.

He washed his face and stared at his reflection while remembering what Heida said at Mendy's mansion. Her cries toward Schröder rang through his mind. He lifted his shirt off and gazed at the intricate pattern branded on his back. He couldn't think of why exactly Team Chaos decided to target him, but he knew it had to do with the branding.

"What do they want from me? What exactly is it they're after? And why do they keep calling me 'the Carrier'?" Piik walked into the room rubbing her eye, and Ayden lowered his shirt before she took notice of the branding. "Hey, Piik. I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

She shook her head and climbed up his leg onto his shoulder.

He petted her. "Hey, since we're both up, wanna get some training it? There's a new move I'd like to teach you."

Piik smiled and nuzzled up against his head.

Ayden nodded. "All right then. Let's go."

* * *

The afternoon sun shined brightly overhead as Ayden and the rest of his group set out onto Route 9. With the events of Cerulean City finally behind them, Ayden set his sights on Vermilion City and the Thunder badge. Ayden took the lead with Piik riding on his shoulder as the group made their way through a forest.

Directly behind him, Mendy and Nami walked side by side, each wearing large smiles. Nami looked over at Mendy and her smile widened. She almost lost her best friend and couldn't have been happier to have her back as well as put that dark chapter in her life behind them.

Bringing up the rear, Jin walked while scanning his GPS on his wrist. He adjusted his glasses and read the timeframe for when they would arrive in Vermilion City.

With that, he closed the GPS and dropped his backpack onto the ground. "Okay, guys! Let's take a break!"

The rest of the group turned and looked at Jin with his hands on his hips.

Mendy blinked in confusion and looked around. "Really? We're taking a break here? Right now?"

Jin nodded. "Yep. We've had it pretty rough these last few days. So, I wanted us to sit down together as a group and have lunch. I've got all we need for it right here."

Mendy smiled. "That's so sweet of you, Jin. Thanks!"

Nami held her stomach and grinned. "Now that you mention it, I could go for a little something. We haven't eaten anything since breakfast. I was so excited about finally leaving Cerulean I didn't even think too much about it."

Jin smiled widely. "Don't mention it. Please think of it as my way of saying 'thank you'. If it weren't for you guys, I'd still be in Pewter City stealing stones for Team Chaos. This is the farthest I've ever traveled outside Pewter and it's all thanks to you guys. So, just sit tight and let me get everything set up."

He reached into his backpack and pulled out a variety of materials from pots and pans to foldable chairs and a table complete with plates and silverware.

Nami eyed the backpack and poked at it with intense curiosity. "How the hell did he store all this stuff?"

Jin suddenly popped up carrying a spatula and a frying pan. "So, I was thinking of whipping up some rice, shrimp tempura, and brew us up some tea. What do you guys think?"

Both Mendy and Nami responded joyously, expressing their excitement over the upcoming meal.

Jin smiled at their approval. "Great, there's just one little thing though. I need a fire. Ayden, can you go out and get some firewood for me, man?"

Ayden nodded. "Sure, no problem."

Mendy looked at him just as he turned to leave. "Hey, Jin, I'll go and help him pick some up for you."

Jin looked up just in time before she took off. "Actually, Mendy, I need you and Nami to do something else for me."

Mendy dropped her shoulders and walked back over to Jin. "Okay, what can we help you with?"

* * *

Ayden walked briskly through the woods, scanning the area for any firewood Jin could use. Since Jin wanted to thank them by cooking lunch, he had to make sure everything went perfectly for him.

Piik jumped off Ayden's shoulder and pointed toward a clearing that had several pieces of dried wood.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Good job, Piik. I'm sure Jin will be happy with these."

Piik smiled and helped Ayden pick up the sticks. As they started, a voice broke through the woods immediately drawing their attention. They walked toward its direction and came across a young boy surrounded by three taller boys. All wore identical black school uniforms with a red tie and blue badge on the left side of their chest.

The shorter boy jumped up and down as he tried to retrieve his badge. "Please, give it back! I can't enter the school without it!"

The taller boy pushed him down and the others laughed. "Shut up already. You can't even answer the easiest questions from the lowest level. You call yourself a Pokémon Tech student? We don't need trash like you. Get lost."

They turned to leave and the smaller boy got up and charged at them. "Give me back my badge!"

One of the three turned and punched him in the stomach. He rolled onto his side crying in pain while the three laughed.

As they surrounded the boy, a bolt of electricity flew by their heads, forcing them to stop. They looked over to see Ayden walking toward them.

The boy on the ground looked up at Ayden and his eyes widened.

One of the three boys clicked his tongue. "Who're you?"

Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "Just a trainer walking by. Noticed you seem to be having fun with your classmate. Care to give him back his badge?"

The leader of the three threw up the badge and caught it. "What're you talking about? We won it fair and square. If he couldn't answer any of the questions we gave him, then he'd have to leave. That was the condition. He played and lost. We're doing the school a favor by eliminating low-life trash like him."

Ayden looked at the boy who shook his head defiantly. "No! They forced me into that! They said I couldn't leave unless I participated!"

Ayden looked back at the boys. "Okay, then. I'll play you. If I win, then you give him his badge back. If you win, then I'll give you my two League badges."

Ayden held up his badges for them to see. The three dropped their jaws as they gazed at authentic Pokémon League badges.

The leader of the pack smiled. He had tall spiky red hair and red eyes. "You've got yourself a deal. Here's the game. You see these watches on our wrists? These are Tech Braces, mini computers used for quizzing ourselves on every subject taught in the academy. These were developed by the top pokémon professors from around the world, including Professor Oak. We can even use them to 'battle' one another. We just select this feature. It brings us to the main screen. Here we can choose who we want to fight, set the difficulty level between ten and one with one being the highest. The Tech Brace will then display a question and we use the keypad to answer. The first one to answer ten correctly wins."

Ayden nodded. "All right, got it. Hey, let me borrow yours for a bit."

The boy stared at him with tear-filled eyes and shook his head. He had short light-brown hair and dark green eyes. "No, I can't let you risk your hard-earned badges for me! This was my mistake! You don't have to fix it!"

Ayden placed his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll be okay. I promise I'll get your badge back for you. Just put a little trust in me."

The boy sniffed back tears as he reluctantly handed Ayden his Tech Brace.

Ayden slipped it on and went to the main screen.

The leader of the pack scoffed. "Since this is your first time with this, I'll give you a little handicap. We'll set it to-,"

"One." The boys looked up at Ayden, who had already set his Tech Brace's difficulty. "We'll play on the highest level. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

The leader looked at his lackeys and then at his Tech Brace. He hesitated as his hand hovered over his wrist. He had to be crazy. No one at the academy played on level one, a level rumored to be too difficult even for the school's professors. He shook his head. He couldn't waver. He had scores in the top twenty percentage of the school. He couldn't let some outsider make him look foolish. It had to be a bluff. Plus, the Tech Braces are set for multiple choice. If he didn't know, he just had to guess. Simple as that.

"All right! Fine! Level one it is! Bring it!" The screens flashed, depicting the leader as Player A and Ayden as Player B.

The first question popped up and the leader felt his heart sink. The question wasn't multiple choice. Instead, it was an equation asking them to use quantum physics to calculate Deoxys' movement through space. Next to the question was a timer counting down from fifteen seconds.

"What's going on? What's with this question? Where're the choices? There have always been multiple choices for these quizzes! And what's with the timer?"

His screen soon flashed red as a buzzer chimed. He looked up and saw Ayden had punched in the correct answer as his screen flashed green. He looked back at his screen and saw the score of 0-1. The leader looked up and Ayden looked back at him.

* * *

Mendy and Nami finished bringing the materials Jin asked for.

After setting the items down, Nami wiped her brow. "Here you go, Jin. Anything else you need?"

Jin shook his head. "Nope, you guys were a big help. Thanks. By the way, have either of you seen Ayden?"

Mendy looked around. "You mean, he hasn't come back yet?"

Jin shook his head. "Nope, I figured he may have run into you guys, but I haven't seen him since he left to pick up the firewood."

Nami placed her hands on her hips. "Well, that's typical. We ask him for one little thing and he uses it as an opportunity to ditch us! Unbelievable!"

Jin looked at her skeptically. "I don't think that's what he's up to. Do you think something might've happened to him? I know he was only gone for a short while, but with all we've encountered so far, I wouldn't doubt anything."

Mendy's mind raced back to when Ayden yelled at her father and then shifted to a thought of her father ordering a manhunt on him for what he did. Even though she knew nothing like that happened, she still couldn't shake off the feeling. "I'll go look for him!"

She took off into the forest, quickly followed by Nami. "I'm coming too! I'm gonna give him an earful once I find him!"

Jin sat alone with his pans and pots. He stuffed everything back into his backpack and took off after them. "Eh, what the heck? I'll go too! Wait up, you guys!"

* * *

The leader stood sweating profusely as he looked at the 0-9 lead Ayden had. He stared at Ayden and his anger rose. How could this kid get all the questions right, even on the hardest level?

The computer snapped him out of his train of thought with the final question. This time, the question asked them to use the Uncertainty Principle to calculate the trajectory of a Fire Blast launched at an opponent from three different positions.

The leader's mind raced, but didn't know the answer. He didn't know what to do, but he couldn't let this guy beat him. Before he could do anything, his computer flashed red. The score came up 0-10 in Ayden's favor.

With that, Ayden took off the brace and handed it back to the kid.

The leader of the trio fell to his knees. "I… I lost? But how? How could you possibly know all those answers? Just who are you?"

Ayden stood over him and placed his hands in his pockets. "My name is Ayden. I'm the one who gave the professors the idea for the Tech Brace. However, I never imagined it would be used to try and force others out of the school. Now, as per the conditions of our deal, hand over the badge."

The eyes of the leader widened as did the rest of the trio. They heard stories about him, but didn't think they were true. They couldn't believe it. The one and only Ayden stood in front of them.

They dropped the badge and took off back toward the school. "Everyone! Hurry! You won't believe this! Ayden's here! The legendary student's back!"

Ayden picked up the badge and handed it back to the kid. "Here you go. Hopefully those guys won't mess with you anymore."

The kid took Ayden's hand and stared at him admiringly. "I… I can't believe the New Generation Genius actually saved me! This is so cool! And you used my Tech Brace! I can't believe it! Mr. Ayden, my name is Joe. I'm a beginner student here. If it's at all possible, can I have your autograph please?"

Ayden stared at him in confusion, then looked up when he heard Mendy's voice off in the distance.

She called out to him and Nami and Jin came running in behind her. "Ayden! Hey, what's going on? What're you doing all the way out here?"

Before Ayden could speak, a flock of teachers stormed into the field and surrounded Ayden, pushing Joe out forcefully.

Mendy ran up to him and helped him back on his feet. "Hey, you okay?"

Joe nodded and looked up to see Ayden being escorted away by the large group toward the massive multi-story, blue-roofed school.

Joe dropped his shoulders in disappointment. "Ah man, just when I was about to get his autograph." He dusted himself off and turned to the Mendy and the others. "Thanks for helping me up. My name's Joe. I'm a student here at Pokémon Tech."

Nami tilted her head. "Pokémon Tech? Never heard of it."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "I have. Pokémon Tech is short for Pokémon Technical Institute, an academy where people can enter the Pokémon League upon graduation without having to go on a badge-collecting journey."

Joe nodded. "Yeah, that's right. But the thing about this school is that the classes are extremely hard." He turned and pointed to a student sitting underneath a tree reading a book. "You see that guy over there? He's in the beginner class like me, but he's so much older than everyone else. That's how tough the curriculum is. Some students are held back for many years. They're too ashamed to go home without a diploma."

Nami placed her hands on her hips. "Wait, hold up. You're saying that bearded guy over there is in the same class as you?"

Joe nodded again. "Yep. A beginner has the same qualifications as someone with two badges. The intermediates have the same as someone with four and the advanced students are equal to six. Once you graduate, you can enter the Pokémon League without having to collect any badges."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "If he's been here for a long time, wouldn't it be easier to just go on a journey and get the badges the old fashioned way?"

Joe shook his head. "The academy here provides us all with pokémon to use. They take care of them, making sure they're healthy, fed, and all the other stuff. All we have to do is focus on studying. So, instead of traveling around the region, we can have all we need done in one institution."

Mendy crossed her arms. "Okay, but it still doesn't explain why Ayden was just kidnapped."

Joe turned to her. "Wait, you're friends with the New Generation Genius?"

The three blinked in confusion. "New Generation Genius?"

Joe beamed. "Yeah, he's a legend at this school! The kid with silver hair, who entered the school at the age of five, completely destroyed the entrance exams and quickly rose up the ranks to the advanced classes within his first month and graduated in just one year. They say he never got a single question wrong on anything. Even the teachers tried to stump him with fake questions, but he saw right through them, even going as far as correcting them on a several occasions. They tried measuring his I.Q. once, but the machine broke before the analysis was finished. There's a rumor that one of the doctors saw four hundred before the machine broke."

Mendy, Nami, and Jin chimed in unison. "Four hundred?"

Joe nodded.

Nami crossed her arms and smirked. "Oh come on! Now I know you're making this up! There's no way anyone can be that smart!"

Joe stuck his hands in his pockets. "Well, no one knows his real I.Q. number, but it is true he's a genius. Here, let me show you something." He reached into his backpack and pulled out a magazine. "I always keep this with me as a source of inspiration. This is the Celadon Times. In it, there's an article featuring one of Ayden's term papers. Here, take a look."

Nami snatched the magazine from Joe and scanned through the contents. A five year old getting a term paper published in one of the most highly reputable magazines in the region? There had to be something wrong.

She searched until she found the article. After a moment, she stood frozen. She blankly stared at the page and found she couldn't get through the first sentence. Some words used she had never seen before or could even pronounce. She scanned the rest of the article and found most of it had words she didn't understand.

Mendy placed her hand on her shoulder. "Nami? You okay?"

Nami shook her head. "I… I… I don't understand any of this. How is this possible? How can a five year old write this?"

Jin looked over her shoulder and glanced at the article. "Wow, this is some complex stuff. I guess Ayden really is a genius."

Joe nodded as they gave the magazine back. "You bet he is and he's a real celebrity here. He's so cool and awesome. I wanna be just like him. I'm not surprised everyone took him away like they did."

Mendy ran up to him. "Well, where are they taking him and what are they planning on doing with him?"

Joe smiled. "Oh, they probably want him to lecture a class or something." His eyes widened. "Ah man! If that's the case, I wanna see it too!"

He took off after the crowd with Mendy and the others following after him.

* * *

The three boys ran through the hallways of the school and up several flights of stairs until they reached the fifth floor and barged through the door at the end of the hallway.

Inside, a young girl with silky waist-length brown hair stood in front of the window with her arms crossed.

The boys immediately fell to their knees and bowed. "Mistress Giselle, he's come back! Ayden's returned to the school! He's inside as we speak!"

Giselle pushed some of her hair behind her shoulder and continued to stare out the window. "Is that right? Well then, I think we should welcome back our former classmate, shouldn't we?"

* * *

The crowd of teachers led Ayden and Piik to the Principal's office. As soon as he was inside, they closed the door.

One of the teachers, a thin woman with curly blonde hair stepped forward in her blue heels with matching skirt and blouse. "Professor Marrow, we've brought Ayden back."

Professor Marrow, a skinny banana-nosed man with swirl glasses and a landscape of baldness separating two bushes of gray hair, turned around in his seat. He wore a lab coat and gray pants with black suspenders. "My, my, my, welcome back, Mr. Ayden! I can't tell you how excited we all are that you've graced us with your presence. And what do we have here? A blue-cheeked Pikachu? My, that is quite a rare find, Mr. Ayden. You always were an exceptional student."

Ayden placed his hands inside the pockets of his jacket. "What do you want, professor?"

Marrow adjusted his glasses and smiled. "Mr. Ayden, there's no doubt that within the history of this institution, you have excelled and exceeded beyond any type of reasoning. You've aced all your exams and graduated after just one year. You even spear-headed the development of the Tech Brace. A model student for the history books and a shining example for what this school can produce. That's why we would like your assistance. With you, we can show the world exactly what it lacks and needs."

He turned and faced his window. Outside, he saw several students talking to each other, studying, or eating their lunches. "We are the leading institution for learning. We have all the materials anyone ever needs to become successful. Yet, people would rather travel and mindlessly look around for pokémon, and learn about them the long and slow way. They have no idea that we have all the knowledge they seek right here." He turned back around to Ayden. "Mr. Ayden, with your help, we can show the world that traveling around collecting badges is no longer needed. They simply need to attend this academy to receive all the knowledge they need."

"I refuse."

Marrow adjusted his glasses again. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ayden, could you repeat that?"

Ayden gave him a stern glare. "Despite what you may think, this school will not equip its students with all they need to be a great pokémon trainer. There's more to pokémon than simply reading up on them in the library and being quizzed on them. You have to interact with them, understand them… learn from them." He patted Piik on her head and she smiled gleefully. "That's why I decided not to participate in the Pokémon League after I graduated. I wouldn't have passed the first round. Your curriculum may be one of the most highly rated ones in the region, but it lacks something critical to give its students. I think we're done here."

With that, Ayden headed for the door and left the room. The teachers turned to Marrow with worry, but he grinned and turned toward the window. "Don't worry, my dear colleagues, we'll make him see our way. He'll come around soon enough. You just watch."

* * *

Joe led Mendy and the others down the hallways of the school all the while giving them a tour of each classroom. "Ordinarily, you'd need one of these badges to get around the school, but just stick with me and you can go just about anywhere."

Mendy hastened her pace until she caught up with Joe. "Hey, it's not like we don't appreciate the grand tour and all, but where exactly is Ayden?"

Joe stopped and turned to her. "That's the thing. This school's so big he could literally be anywhere. There'd be no point in searching blindly. So, might as well go through one classroom at a time until we get somewhere."

He swiped his badge and led them into another classroom. Inside, rows of computers on desks filled the room. "Here is one of the analytical sides to the school. It's here we can challenge ourselves with battles from all types of trainers."

He took a seat and logged in on one of the computers. "Check it out. For example, I can upload my Weepinbell's stats to the system and have it battle anyone like a water-type trainer. The system lets me know which moves are the best and how I can go about defeating them."

They leaned over his shoulder and watched as he pushed a button and the virtual Weebinbell took down the computer's Staryu with one hit.

Nami slammed her hand on the desk. "What? That's complete bull! It's one thing to play a game, but if you think you can win a real battle just from a simulation, then you're out of your mind!"

Joe shrugged. "What can I tell you? The system's always right. Water-types lose to grass-types. It's just the way things are. I mean, I'm certainly no Ayden, but I can definitely beat someone using a water-type."

Nami's anger flared. "Then let's battle! If you're so sure of yourself, then this should be a piece of cake for you!"

Joe stood up. "You'll be sorry."

* * *

Ayden walked down the hallways with Piik riding on his shoulder. Somehow, he couldn't believe it had already been seven years since he graduated. After that, every journalist and news agency wanted an interview with the "New Generation Genius". He didn't care for all the attention, he just had to get to the League as fast as he could. However, after graduating, he quickly learned just how inadequate the school prepared him for it.

"Well, what do you think, Piik? This is my old school. Not too bad, huh? I'm almost amazed at how much has changed."

Piik scratched her head and sighed.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Yeah, I get where you're coming from. It's really not all it's cracked up to be."

The two walked down the hallways as Ayden told Piik of his time at the school. Along the way, they passed a classroom that caught Ayden's eye. Inside, a tall teacher with long light-blue hair and circular-frame glasses tried to settle her class down with little success. He remembered her. He had her for a short while when he first enrolled as a beginner. She had just started teaching at the academy and she had always been nice, even if she had some tendencies for being clumsy.

She waved her hands around trying to get her students to calm down. "Please, everyone! I know you're disappointed, but please, let's try to remain calm here! I'm sure everything will work out as soon as we calm down!"

The students continued their disapproval much to the teacher's chagrin.

One of the students, a spiky-haired male, stood up. "Come on, professor! That lazy excuse for a pokémon isn't going to do anything! You've been at it for several days now!"

The professor pushed up her large circular glasses and sighed. "Yes, it's true, but I'm certain he'll want to work with us today, right Charmander?" She smiled and extended a hand to it.

The red lizard-like pokémon with a flame burning on the tip of his tail, lifted his head from his sleeping position and looked up at the professor, yawned, and then went back to sleep.

The professor stomped her foot. "Oh, come on, Charmander! Give me a break, will you? Please?"

"I see you're still having trouble getting pokémon to listen to you, Professor Clover."

Clover turned to see Ayden standing in the doorway. The moment she saw him, she burst into tears. "I don't believe it! Ayden, is that you?" She ran up and gave him a hug. "I can't believe it's you! It's been so long! Look at how big you've gotten! Just look at you!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "It has been a while, professor. How've you been?"

She grinned nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Well, things could be better. I'm still having trouble with this Charmander. But enough about that, where are my manners? Everyone, this is a very special guest, he was one of my students here eight years ago. Please welcome Ayden from Viridian City!"

All her students jumped up at the mention of his name. They couldn't believe the New Generation Genius stood in front of them. All the girls squealed when they gazed up at him and the boys stared with admiration.

Clover waved them down. "Okay, okay, that's quite enough. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Ayden, would you like to help me with this lecture today?"

Ayden gave a nod. "Of course."

The students rejoiced as all the girls quickly raised their hands, asking multiple questions at once.

"Is it true you only graduated after one year?"

"What did you do after you graduated?"

"Do you tutor?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

The questions continued until the kid with spikey hair got out of his seat and walked up to Ayden. He came up to Ayden's shoulder and stared at him before clicking his tongue. "What's so great about this guy anyway? So, what if you graduated after one year? Big deal!"

One of the girls jumped up. She had long blonde hair and green eyes. "Would you get over yourself, Jake? You're just jealous! Mr. Ayden's way cooler and smarter than you are!"

All the other students agreed, causing Jake's face to turn red with embarrassment.

He turned to her. "Just shut up, Helen! I can do anything this guy can and better!"

Clover clapped her hands. "Okay, Jake, that's enough. Return to your seat."

Jake looked at Clover then at Ayden. He clicked his tongue again and returned to his seat.

Clover cleared her throat. "Now, back to business. Ayden, we're studying about fire-types today and we have a very special friend in Charmander to help us out."

Charmander slightly opened an eye then closed it.

Clover dropped her shoulders. "Unfortunately, Charmander doesn't really feel like being a little helper today. You wouldn't happen to have any ideas on this, would you? I've tried everything in all the textbooks I could find, but nothing seems to be working at all. I'm at my wits end."

Ayden walked over to Charmander and watched it sleep.

Clover's eyes widened as he moved his hand over to Charmander's head. "Please be careful, Ayden! He may look lazy, but he'll attack if you're not careful."

Ayden reached over and stroked Charmander's head. Charmander's body relaxed and a smile spread across his face. In that moment, Ayden closed his eyes and could sense all of Charmander's inner feelings. Charmander's memories flashed through Ayden's mind like a slideshow, with each image giving Ayden more insight into Charmander's past.

"I see. You've had it pretty rough, huh? Your old trainer thought you weren't motivated enough and released you, didn't he? But I can tell you're a tough fighter, you just want someone who understands your own pace."

Charmander opened his eyes and looked up at Ayden. To think there would be someone who could finally understand the way he felt. Battles and training were all well and good, but it didn't mean he had to be gung-ho about it all the time. What's wrong with taking things slow and enjoying what's around you?

Piik jumped from Ayden's shoulder and struck up a conversation with Charmander. Charmander nodded and replied back. He then stood up and yawned.

Ayden lightly smiled at Charmander. "Now, Charmander, do you think you can demonstrate a proper flamethrower for these guys?"

Charmander yawned and nodded again. He took a step back and launched an attack toward the ceiling.

The entire class clapped and marveled at the multi-colored flames as they danced around like fireworks.

Clover teared up and removed her glasses. "The New Generation Genius has done it again! Ayden, I don't know how you do it, but you are an absolute savant with pokémon. I wish we could hire you to teach here full time."

The student's all agreed, but Ayden shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I have to get back on my journey to compete in the League. I still need six more badges."

One of the students raised their hand. "Wait, you graduated from here though, right? I thought you could already enter the League with that alone."

Ayden turned to the inquisitive student. "It's true the League will allow you to enter with the credentials you gain from this school. However, there's something far more important you need in order to actually succeed in the League… experience. It's safe to assume you all haven't had many interactions with pokémon since you've started here, huh?" The class gave a nod. "That alone puts you at a huge disadvantage with the other trainers in the League. They've all had time to interact and learn from their pokémon and understand them on a much deeper level. That understanding and trust can't be found in any textbook you read. It has to be experienced firsthand outside. Growing and battling alongside your pokémon so that you're both stronger. That's the key."

Clover applauded. "Well said, Ayden. With that in mind, I have a request. Would you mind taking care of this Charmander? I know it'll do much better in your capable hands than being cooped up here at this school."

Ayden shifted his attention from Clover to Charmander. "Well, what do you say, Charmander? Would you like to come with me? Our team is in need of a strong fire-type."

Charmander turned to Piik you nodded and urged him to join. Charmander shrugged and gave Ayden a nod.

Ayden smiled and took out a pokéball. "All right. Charmander, welcome to the group."

He tapped Charmander on the head and Charmander disappeared in a flash of red light. Ayden held the pokéball in his hands as it wobbled until it finally clicked.

Clover and the rest of the class applauded and yelled their congratulations to him.

Clover placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know you'll take great care of Charmander. Good luck with the rest of your journey, Ayden. I'll be rooting for you. When you finally make it to the League, take it all the way!"

Ayden nodded. "I will. Thank you."

Jake sank into his seat and fiddled with his fingers. "I guess… that was pretty cool."

* * *

Giselle briskly walked down the hallway toward the Principal's office. When she arrived, the door was ajar. She knocked once and entered the brightly lit room. She saw Professor Marrow sitting in his chair gazing out his window. She closed the door behind her and crossed her arms. "You wanted to see me, Professor Marrow?"

Marrow turned around and smiled at her. "Ah, Miss Giselle, my ace student. So glad you could come on such short notice."

Giselle smiled. "Of course, professor. Anything for the sake of the school."

Marrow nodded. "I'm so glad to hear you say that. Now, down to business, Miss Giselle. I'm sure you're well aware that Mr. Ayden has finally returned to our school."

Giselle's smile widened. "Why yes, I have. Some friends of mine have actually told me about it. Have you spoken to him yet, professor?"

"I have. I've asked for his assistance in showing the world that this school is all anybody needs if they desire to be a pokémon trainer. However, he refuses to accept that fact and continues to believe that traveling around and wasting one's time collecting badges is essential for pokémon training. I have failed to convince him, but you just might be able to. I want you to bring Mr. Ayden to our side by any means necessary. I've heard he's brought some friends along. Perhaps you could give them a lecture as well."

Giselle bowed. "Of course, professor. I'd be more than happy to help and prove to Ayden that he's finally wrong. I'll do whatever it takes to make certain he's back with us."

Marrow nodded. "Good. That's exactly what I wanted to hear from you, Miss Giselle. Now, go and make sure you succeed. You're our school's top student and you're in the advanced classes. If anyone can bring him over to our side, it's you."

Giselle nodded. "I will not fail you, professor." With that, she gave another bow and left the room.

When she closed the door behind her, she leaned against it and a malicious smile spread across her face. "Just you wait, Ayden. I'll get back at you for everything you've done to me."

* * *

Joe led Nami and the others to a room where a battle arena awaited them.

Nami walked to one side of the arena while Joe walked to the other.

When both had taken their positions, Joe took out a pokéball and then stared at Nami. "You know, it's not too late to back out now! I can understand how you feel about facing someone with the strength of two badges!"

Nami pulled out a pokéball and grinned. "Oh? Sounds like you're chickening out to me! Let's just do this! I'll show you how flawed your method of training is! Go, Staryu!"

She tossed her pokéball and Staryu emerged. It landed perfectly on the battlefield waiting for its opponent.

Joe smiled. "And I'll show you that everything follows logic! Go, Weepinbell!" The pokéball burst open and Weepinbell emerged. The yellow bell-shaped plant stared at Staryu with an expression of disinterest and exhaustion. "Weepinbell, let's end this with one move! Use Razor Leaf!"

Nami smiled. "Too slow! Staryu, use Water Gun!"

Staryu jumped into the air and launched a strong stream of water at Weepinbell.

Joe stood petrified as the plant pokémon took full force of the attack and flew out of the arena into the back wall, knocking it unconscious.

Nami's smile widened. "Well, what does your logic have to say about that?"

Joe fell to his knees. "But, how? This doesn't make any sense. Weepinbell had the advantage. How did it lose?"

The door opened and everyone turned their attention toward the young lady who entered. Her hair billowed perfectly with each step she took. Her skin glistened and shined flawlessly in the afternoon sunlight. She donned her school's uniform of a blue vest and miniskirt with a white puffy-sleeved undershirt, white knee-high socks and black Mary Janes. Behind her, several male students obediently and closely followed her into the room.

Joe turned around and his eyes widened immediately. "Giselle!"

She glared at him and whipped a bit of her hair back behind her shoulder. "Uh, excuse you, but its 'Mistress Giselle' to you, Joe. Being a lowly beginner, you don't have the right to address me in such a manner."

Joe stood at attention and bowed. "Yes, forgive me, Mistress Giselle!"

Giselle giggled. "That's better. Now, onto other matters. Joe, you let an outsider defeat you. Do you understand why? Your Weepinbell may have had the type advantage, but her Staryu was at a much higher level. You should've at least known that much. Talk about an embarrassment."

As she and the other students laughed at him, Nami stepped forward. "Whoa! What the hell? Yeah, the kid may be a little on the weak side, but there's no need to say all that! Just who you are anyway?"

Giselle smiled. "I'm the top student in the advanced-level courses at the most exclusive academy in the Kanto region, Pokémon Tech. People have praised me for my good looks, talents, book smarts, and humble attitude and have even treated me like a star. But when it's all said and done, at the end of the day, I'm just Giselle."

Nami held her stomach. "Oh God, I think I'm gonna barf. I shouldn't have asked."

Giselle walked up to Joe and stood over him. He looked up at her stern eyes as her body cast a foreboding shadow over him. "I would like to continue the reputation of this school, Joe, by having our fellow classmates be the very best. Knowledge, intuition, skills, all are given to us by the school's very generous staff. They work hard so that we can know everything about pokémon. However, you are a weakling! You've been given the best classes this school has to offer and yet you cannot even transfer what you've learned into your battles! I won't stand to see a student of this school lose to an outsider, especially when they had a type advantage! Return your badge to the administration! I want you out of the school by the end of the day!"

With that she turned around and walked away, leaving Joe frozen in shock.

Nami clenched her fists. She couldn't take it anymore. This girl's attitude did nothing short of tick her off. "Hey! Hold it!" Giselle stopped, but didn't turn around. "Just who the hell do you think you are telling him to leave just because he lost a match? If you're such a great school, then why don't you try and help him if he's having trouble?"

Giselle smiled. "I wouldn't expect someone like you to know. We do things differently here. Knowledge and pokémon battles are top priority at this institute. We pride ourselves knowing we can take on anyone and anything with the knowledge we gain from this school and always come out on top."

Nami furrowed her brow. "Is that so? Then why don't you prove it?"

Giselle's smile widened. "I thought you'd never ask. Against your water pokémon, I'll choose this. Marowak, go!"

She pulled a pokéball out from the inside of her vest and threw it. Marowak appeared in a blinding flash of light. The dark brown bipedal pokémon stood firm with its hands tightly gripping a large bone. Its head was encased in a skull and it had red eyes.

Nami grinned. "I may acknowledge your Marowak is at a high level, but so is my Staryu! And when it comes to speed, it won't be outclassed by a ground-type!"

Giselle shrugged. "We'll see. Let's get this started. Marowak, go!"

At her command, Marowak dashed toward Staryu.

Nami flinched at how fast it moved. "Staryu, end this with Water Gun!"

Staryu jumped into the air as Marowak took a swipe at it with its bone. As it hovered over the ground type, it launched its attack.

Giselle smiled and flipped her hair back. "Marowak! Bonemerang!"

Marowak took hold of its bone and threw it at Staryu. The bone zipped through the water attack and struck Staryu in its jewel. The impact knocked Staryu through the window and into the pool outside.

Nami stood frozen at what she just witnessed. Marowak's speed and power completely shattered her expectations. How could a ground type move faster than her Staryu? It didn't make any sense. "What the…? But how did she…?"

Mendy ran up to her. "Nami! Hey, you okay? Say something!"

Nami snapped out of her train of thought and ran out of the room.

Mendy and Jin followed, leaving Giselle and the others laughing.

* * *

Ayden bowed as he left the classroom and waved goodbye to Professor Clover. He smiled as he walked down the hallway. A new member had joined his team and he couldn't ask for anything better. "Well, Piik, I suppose we should try and find the others, huh?"

Piik nodded and they walked by the windows when Ayden noticed a huge crowd by the pool.

He looked closer and saw Nami holding her Staryu in her arms. He then saw Pokémon Tech students surround her as well as Mendy and Jin. "Come on, Piik, let's go. I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

Nami sat holding Staryu in her arms with tears forming in her eyes. The jewel on Staryu had shattered and it had gone limp in her arms. "Staryu! Come on, Staryu! It's gonna be okay! We'll get you to a Center and get you patched up, okay? Just hang in there!"  
Giselle walked up and Nami looked up to see the most condescending smirk she'd ever seen. "What was that you were saying about your Staryu never being outclassed by a ground type? This school has taught us all that type doesn't mean a thing as long as the level of the pokémon is high enough. If you still don't believe me, we can go again. We're by the pool this time, so your pokémon will have even more of an advantage."

Nami clenched her fists and her teeth. "And I bet you're gonna use another pokémon that's weak against water types?"

Giselle flipped her hair back. "Like I said, type doesn't matter as long as the pokémon is at an advanced level. It also depends on the trainer. A good pokémon will be able to handle any situation as long as the trainer knows what they're doing and has the knowledge to teach them. Our battle just now proved you didn't possess the knowledge to handle my Marowak. Now then, shall we go again, or perhaps I'll give your two friends a lecture as well."

Mendy and Jin glared at her. They both knew out of the three of them, Nami had the most experience battling. If she got taken out, then they didn't have a chance.

Giselle smiled at their hesitation. "Well, if none of you want to battle, then I hereby deem this lecture finished. Feel honored you were given a lecture by the top student in the advance-level courses. Now then, all of you admit Pokémon Tech is the only way a trainer can thrive!"

"It appears not much has changed since I left."

Everyone turned to see Ayden walk up to them with Piik riding his shoulders.

Mendy and Jin beamed. "Ayden!"

Nami grumbled. She didn't want him to see her like this, but if it meant getting little Miss Prep School's butt kicked, then she'd let it slide this time.

Everyone on Giselle's side stood paralyzed as Ayden made his way toward her.

Giselle smiled and flipped her hair back. "Well, well, well, look who's decided to show up. It's the New Generation Genius. It's been a while, Ayden."

Nami looked up at him. "Wait, you know her?"

Ayden looked at Nami's Staryu then back at Giselle. "Seems like you did a number to her pokémon. Care to explain?"

Giselle shrugged. "I simply gave this intellectually-challenged girl a little lesson. Nothing more. She's exactly what this world has become, ignorant. But, thankfully, this school is here to give knowledge to those who truly need it. That's why we're all anyone ever needs in order to become great pokémon trainers."

Ayden shook his head. "Here we go again. Do you honestly think this school will equip everyone with everything they need? There's more to pokémon than simply studying their types and move sets for battles. There's a much deeper lesson that can only be learned by interacting with them. You can't learn it with textbooks alone."

Giselle shook her head. "And this coming from the New Generation Genius? Pokémon Tech's pride and joy? I'm honestly disappointed in you, Ayden. You had it all; talent, intelligence, and yet you decided to do nothing with it. The Pokémon League was yours for the taking and you decided to reject the school's generosity and go off on some stupid journey?"  
Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "I have no regrets about my decisions. There's nothing stupid with wanting to interact with Pokémon on a deeper relationship. You find out a lot of things about them you never would've known otherwise."

Nami rejoined Mendy and Jin while Mendy leaned into Jin's ear. "What's going on? Ayden's a little defensive, don't you think?"

Jin nodded. "Yeah, it's weird. But I think it'd be best if we all just stayed out of it. It's obvious those two have some kind of history."

Giselle placed her hands on her hips. "To think our New Generation Genius would be so wrong, but I suppose that's what happens. I mean, just look at you. Your pokémon is riding on your shoulder instead of being in a pokéball. You of all people should know that pokémon stay in their pokéballs when they're not battling. That's common sense."

Ayden squinted his eyes. "Piik doesn't like to be confined to pokéballs. And I chose to respect that request."

Giselle tilted her head. "Request? You mean that Pikachu actually spoke to you and said it didn't like to be in pokéballs? How funny. Pokémon do not speak in human tongue, Ayden. We the trainers are met with a job to train our pokémon to obey us and show them where they stand. Perhaps your Pikachu is training you instead?"

Ayden stood silent while Piik charged her cheeks. He placed his hand on her head and calmed her down.

Giselle crossed her arms. "Tell me something, Ayden. How long has it been since you've started your little journey?"

"Two months."

Giselle sarcastically jumped back. "What? You mean you've been traveling for two whole months and you still haven't trained your Pikachu to stay in the pokéball? That's quite laughable, Ayden. To think you, a graduate from Pokémon Tech, can't even train a little Pikachu to stay in a pokéball. Perhaps you weren't the great student we all thought you were. And I'll be more than happy to show everyone that you're not and make you pay for what you've done."

Mendy blinked in confusion. "Wait, now what's she talking about?"

Jin motioned her to be quiet. "I think we're about to find out… plus this is starting to get really good. It's like a daytime drama."

Giselle clenched her fists. "I was the top student in the beginner-level classes eight years ago. I had it all; money, talent, smarts, fans, even the teachers gave me special privileges. I was at the pinnacle of perfection. I was groomed for greatness. Then all of a sudden, you came out of nowhere and entered the academy on a scholarship. Since then, I couldn't keep up. You blew me out of the water in every subject. You destroyed my number one spot, and to top it all off, you refused to enter the League after you graduated. But, nonetheless, I can actually forgive all of that, but there's one thing I can never forgive you for."

She thought back to a day she and Ayden had a mock battle on the school grounds. Ayden's pokémon quickly defeated hers and she fell to her knees in defeat. It was then she realized, he and her could be the perfect couple. Together, they could rule the school. She already had every boy groveling at her feet. Making Ayden hers would be a simple task.

After classes had ended, Ayden packed up his backpack and looked up to see Giselle standing over him.

She pointed her finger at him and placed her hand on her hips. "Ayden! Come to battlefield B in fifteen minutes! I have something I want to say to you!"

With that, she turned and left along with her group of fans, each giving Ayden a death glare. Ayden made it outside and found Giselle standing in the middle of the battlefield surrounded by her fans as usual.

When he met up with her, she laughed and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, you made good time, Ayden. I'm glad you're punctual. Now onto business, I'm here to congratulate you. You have the honor of being my official boyfriend!"

Her news shocked the entire crowd and drove all the boys to tears.

Ayden stared blankly at her and yawned. "Sorry, but… who are you?"

Giselle froze along with the rest of the crowd.

Ayden sighed. "Look, I don't know what you're getting at, but I need to get going. The teachers decided to advance me to the intermediate-level classes starting tomorrow. I don't have time to play make-believe with you."

With that, Ayden walked off the battlefield and headed back to the dorms, leaving Giselle frozen in disbelief.

Giselle's thoughts ended and she clenched her teeth in frustration. "Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? It was inconceivable! Me, the prettiest, smartest, richest, and most skilled girl at the school rejected! I vowed my vengeance toward you, but before I could, you graduated! Well, fate has provided me with another way to get my revenge, Ayden! I challenge you to a battle! You're always going on about how interacting with pokémon is the best way to become a trainer, I say you're wrong! And when I beat you, not only will you have to admit it, but you'll also have to quit your journey and be my personal servant and do everything I ask of you! Fight me, if you have so much faith in your ideals as you claim, then you shouldn't back out of this challenge!"

Mendy stepped forward. "You're out of your mind! There's no way he'll agree to those terms! Come on, Ayden, let's go. There's no need for you to do this."

She grabbed his wrist, but he jerked out of her grip. "Fine, you're on! But if I win, then you'll have to admit you and this entire school's way of learning is inadequate for participating in the Pokémon League. Piik, let's go."

Piik nodded and jumped onto the battlefield.

Giselle laughed and reached into her vest for another pokéball. "I've been waiting for this day for quite some time, Ayden. Prepare yourself! Graveler, go!"

She threw her pokéball and a large jagged boulder with four arms appeared.

Graveler looked down at Piik and smiled. This was going to be the easiest battle ever.

Mendy looked on in worry. Piik was powerful, but even she couldn't defeat a Graveler. Ayden didn't even use Piik when he fought Brock, so there's no way he could possibly win this.

Giselle flipped her hair back and grinned. "Now, let's begin and I'll finally prove who is number one. Graveler, Tackle!"

Graveler jumped and rolled its way toward Piik.

"Piik, dodge it!"

Piik complied and moved out of Graveler's way.

"Graveler, Stone Edge!"

Graveler stopped rolling and concentrated its energy in creating multiple stones around itself. The stones hovered in a circle and then flew toward Piik.

"Piik, dodge with Agility and move into Quick Attack!"

Piik disappeared as the stones advanced toward her and reappeared on top of the stones, jumping onto each one. When she got in position, she upped her speed and slammed into Graveler. Graveler didn't budge and simply brushed the attack off.

Giselle laughed. "What did you think would happen? Normal attacks won't work against rock-types. Graveler, Earthquake!"

Graveler stomped the ground and sent shockwaves around the field.

Ayden grinned. "You're right, they won't work, but I needed that move to connect in order to finish this. Piik, jump into the air!"

Piik nodded and jumped to avoid the shockwaves of Graveler's attack.

Giselle shook her head. "I've been battling with this Graveler for almost an entire year! Compared to your mere two months of travels, I have both type and level advantage! Let's see if that Pikachu can dodge this! Graveler, Stone Edge!"

Graveler launched the stones again at Piik.

"Piik, let's test out your new move! Use Iron Tail!"

Piik nodded and concentrated her energy toward her lightning-shaped tail. Her tail then glowed and turned into metal. With her new metal tail, Piik batted away the incoming stones and made her way toward Graveler. When she was in range, she twisted her body to build up momentum and slammed Graveler on the head with everything she could muster.

Graveler reeled from the blow and fell backward.

Mendy, Jin, Nami, Giselle and her group all stood in awe at what just happened. A Pikachu took down a Graveler.

Piik ran up Ayden's leg and onto his shoulder.

Ayden petted her. "Great work, Piik. You were awesome as usual."

Piik smiled and blushed as she rejoiced in being praised and pulled off her new move perfectly.

Mendy, Nami, and Jin ran up to the pair and offered their congratulations on the win. The other students were too stunned and confused on what to do. They didn't know if they should be cheering that they just witnessed the New Generation Genius pull off an impressive win, or consoling Giselle for losing.

Giselle fell to her knees and recalled Graveler. "Graveler, return." When Graveler had returned to its ball, Giselle turned toward Ayden. "I guess you did it again. I see why you used Quick Attack before. You did it because you knew of Graveler's Sturdy ability, huh?"

She clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on the pokéball. It happened again. Somehow, someway, he bested her, even though she worked so hard to get to this point. She trained every day, studied until she passed out, and yet it still wasn't enough. It was no different from when he was still at the academy. Nothing had changed.

"Why?" Everyone turned to look at her as she shook with frustration. Tears fell as she tried to control herself. "Why? Why? Why can't I beat you? I know I'm smart enough! The pokémon I use are in top form! I know all their abilities and move sets! And yet, I still can't beat you! Why? Tell me!"

Ayden walked up to her and silence fell as he stood over her. "It's like I've said before, to fully understand pokémon, you have to take the time and communicate with them on a personal level. Textbooks and classes may prepare you to know what move sets work best against which pokémon, but all that knowledge is useless if you and your pokémon aren't fighting as one."

Giselle gazed at him with transfixed eyes. "Fight… as one?"

Ayden nodded. "Exactly. That's when you'll be able to bring out the true power of your pokémon."

Giselle dropped her shoulders and stared at Graveler's pokéball. For all the times she'd battled with it, she never considered what it was thinking. The academy always took care of the pokémon she used and said she just needed to focus on studying.

She looked around and saw many of the other students seemed to be thinking the same thing she was.

She grinned and finally stood up. "Well, it would seem we all have a few things to think about. You always were the most insightful person I'd ever met, Ayden. I'm starting to see why you didn't immediately go into the League after graduating. It makes a lot more sense now."

Joe walked up to Ayden with a look of utmost admiration. "Mr. Ayden! That was incredible! I can't believe I got to witness you in action! The way you stood calm was amazing! Please, can you tutor me?"

Ayden was taken aback as other students came up to him asking the same until Giselle dispelled the crowd. "I think Ayden has already given us his answer. Like us, he still has a lot of growing to do, and like him, we need to follow his example. Isn't that right?" Ayden nodded and she smiled. She extended her hand to him to which he reciprocated. "Good luck on the rest of your journey, Ayden. I'll work harder to understand pokémon better, and maybe one day you and I can have another battle."

Ayden grinned. "I look forward to that day."

As Giselle turned to leave, Nami jumped in and got in her face. "Well before you fight him again, you and I have a score to settle! Don't go thinking I'll let this loss slide! Next time you and I meet, you better be ready for a beat down!"

Giselle smirked. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but Ayden is the only one I'll allow to beat me. If we do battle again, I'm afraid the result will be the same."

Nami's eye twitched in irritation. "We'll see about that."

Giselle squinted her eyes. "We will indeed."

Jin smiled and started laughing. "Looks like Nami found herself a rival, huh?"

Mendy giggled. "It looks like it."

From the window in his office, Marrow stood with his face and hands pressed against the window. "But… how? How could she lose? Her Graveler is at a very high-level and it had the type advantage! How?"

"It's because you underestimated him and overestimated your school's teaching abilities."

Marrow spun around and saw Clover standing in the doorway. She had her arms crossed and a smile spread across her face. "Professor Clover, what do you mean? The curriculum of this institute is flawless. There is absolutely no error in the way our students are brought up!"

Clover shrugged. "Perhaps, but maybe your students are missing something vital."

Marrow blinked in confusion. "And just what might that be?"

Clover adjusted her glasses and walked toward the window. Marrow moved aside as she stood and looked out over the crowd of students. "Understanding pokémon on a deeper level. It's what Ayden has been saying all this time. Perhaps now you can see it with your own eyes. That boy has a special power inside him. Not only can he change the hearts of pokémon, but people as well. I look forward to seeing what he does in the future."

Marrow gritted his teeth and stormed out of the room. "Preposterous! My teachings are flawless!"

Clover giggled and looked back over Ayden. "Take care of Charmander and yourself, Ayden. Keep up the good work. I know you'll do well in the League."

* * *

Ayden and the rest made their way out of the institute and back on the road toward Vermillion.

Halfway down the road, Jin stopped. "You know, I just thought of something."

Mendy stopped and turned to him. "What's the matter, Jin?"

"We still didn't get to have our special lunch! And all that time spent getting ready for it too!"

Mendy and Nami's eyes widened as the realization hit them. They hadn't had a chance to eat since they left the Pokémon Center that morning.

Nami held her stomach as the hunger caught up with her. "Now that you mention it, thanks to all that's happened, I can't take another step. I'm so hungry!"

Jin snapped his fingers. "No problem! We'll just turn that special thank you lunch into a supreme thank you dinner! It'll be fantastic! Just give me a bit to get things ready! Oh yeah, that's right. Hey, Ayden, can you go get some firewood?"


	13. The Darkness Within

**Good evening, everyone! Welcome to chapter 13 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls. Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 13**

Ayden and the group stood and gazed up at the sign in front of them. After walking for two days, they could hardly believe they had finally made it to their destination, Vermilion City, a bustling city near the harbor. Jin, Mendy, and Nami threw their bags to the ground and cheered.

Mendy and Nami clapped their hands together and a tear rolled down Nami's face. "I can't wait to finally take a nice long hot bath."

Mendy nodded. "I know, right? Just look at how dirty we all are."

Jin looked at his clothes and everybody else's. "When you guys are ready, hand your clothes over to me. I'll take care of the laundry. I think we all could use some freshening up."

Ayden stood looking around at the city. This was it. Inside this city stood the Vermilion gym, home of his third badge, the Thunder Badge. "Come on, Piik, our first stop is getting you and everybody to the Center."

Piik nodded and they all walked into the city. The smell of the sea wafted towards them and the sounds of the harbor rang into their ears as they walked toward the Pokémon Center. Mendy and Nami skipped and sang about having a nice long bath while Ayden and Jin took the lead.

Jin grinned and turned toward Ayden. "Wow, Vermilion City! Once we get ourselves freshened up, it's on to the gym! You ready for this, man? I already know this is gonna be so epic!"

Ayden gave a slight nod. "Yeah, this should be interesting."

Jin slapped him on the back. "Well, try to go easy on the leader, okay, man? I mean, with your genius level I.Q. it should be a piece of cake for you!"

He laughed and Ayden dropped his shoulders. Ever since he learned Ayden went to Pokémon Tech, Jin tried to bring up the topic of his I.Q. whenever he had the chance. They turned a corner and saw a kid running in a panic. He had short light-blue hair and wore a red shirt with brown shorts. In his arms, he carried a severely injured Sandshrew.

"Just hold on, Sandshrew! We're almost at the Pokémon Center. Just hang on, okay!"

Jin looked at Mendy who seemed concerned. "Hey, doesn't this seem familiar? Isn't this exactly how we met Raye? You don't think she's here, do you?"

Mendy shook with anger and fear. She could still clearly remember her battle with Raye and how badly Squirtle got injured. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't had a chance to train ever since the incident in Cerulean.

Nami placed her hand on her shoulder and Mendy turned toward her. "Hey, whether she's here or not, we're not gonna let that happen to Squirtle or you again. We've got your back no matter what."

Mendy relaxed her shoulders and smiled. "Thanks, Nami. I needed that. Come on! Let's follow him and get some answers!"

* * *

They arrived and saw the boy handing his Sandshrew to Nurse Joy. "Please, take care of Sandshrew, Nurse Joy."

Joy smiled and nodded. "Leave everything to me. Your Sandshrew will be as good as new."

With that, she and Chansey wheeled Sandshrew into the back room. When the doors closed, the boy took a seat on the couches. He looked up when Mendy and the others approached him. She knelt down and faced the boy.

"Hey, what happened to your Sandshrew? Who did that?" Tears formed in the boy's eyes as he did his best to hold them back. The more Mendy stared at him, the more she was convinced Raye had something to do with it. "Did you have a battle with someone? Was that person a female with long red hair and had a Monferno?"

The boy wiped away his tears and shook his head. "No, I just had a gym battle with Lieutenant Surge."

Mendy breathed a sigh of relief and sat next to the boy. "Really? Must've been a tough fight."

The boy nodded. "Yeah, too tough. I thought I was ready for him, but his pokémon is just too powerful. He said the only way I could possibly win was if I evolved my Sandshrew. If that's what it takes to win that badge, then maybe I should. Sandshrew was just too weak to hold its own. Evolving it may be the only way we can win."

Jin walked up to him and knelt down. "That's not true at all." The boy looked up at him. "Every pokémon has their own unique strength. Just because a pokémon has evolved, doesn't mean it can't be beaten by one that hasn't."

The boy clenched his fists. "But, his pokémon was just way too strong. He taught it all the power moves and there's just no way any unevolved pokémon can defeat it."

With that, he jumped off the couch and ran down the hallway in tears. Nurse Joy emerged from the back room just in time to see the door to the Center open. Another boy limped in carrying his bruised and cracked Geodude. The boy had blood running down the side of his leg and winced with every step he took.

Nurse Joy gasped at the sight. "My goodness! Are you all right, young man?"

The boy fell to his knees and handed Joy his Geodude. "Please, take care of Geodude, Nurse Joy."

Joy nodded. "I will! Chansey, get the first aide and help this young man right away!" Chansey nodded and waddled its egg-like body into the back room. Nurse Joy turned back to the boy. "Did you just have a gym battle with Lieutenant Surge, young man?" The boy nodded and Joy furrowed her brow. "I don't believe this. He's done it again! This is the third case this week!"

Jin and the others walked up to them. "Wait, what do you mean, Nurse Joy?"

Joy sighed and turned to the group. "As I'm sure you already know, Lieutenant Surge is the leader of the Vermilion City gym. He's known for his ruthless fighting style and doesn't hold back regardless of whom he's fighting. His attacks are so wild that there've been some cases where he actually injures the trainers."

Mendy's eyes widened. "What? Injures the trainers? Why would he do something like that?"

Joy shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think he's doing it on purpose, but if he showed a little restraint in his fights, it'd make things a lot easier. Either way, if any of you are planning to fight him, please be careful."

With that, she left for the back room, leaving the group stunned by her explanation.

* * *

Mendy and Nami stepped into the tub and immediately sank into bliss as the perfectly heated water melted all their fatigue away.

Nami stretched and leaned back. "Ah man! This is it! This is what I've been waiting for! This feels fantastic! I mean, walking around for two days straight really taxes you out! You know what I mean, Mendy?" She looked over and saw Mendy sitting quietly with her arms wrapped around her legs, staring at the water deep in thought. "Hey, Mendy! You okay?"

Mendy looked up to Nami's hand waving in her face. "Wait, what? Oh, sorry, Nami, what were you saying?"

Nami dropped her shoulders. "Hey, what's with you? You've been spacing out a lot lately. If you're still worried about Raye, that kid already said it wasn't her. Which means she's not in the city, right? So, why're you so down?"

Mendy shifted her gaze back to the water and thought about what Joy said about the gym leader's wild antics. She imagined Ayden getting hit by an attack and falling over unconscious. She tightened her hold on her legs as the uncomfortable image played through her mind. "Hey, Nami, you don't really think the gym leader intentionally hurts the challengers, do you?"

Nami looked at Mendy and finally understood what she meant. She wanted to be a gym leader herself, so to hear about one abusing their power must've really hit home for her.

She crossed her arms. "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure he doesn't mean to do it. Plus, even if some of his attacks do hit challengers, the next one is Ayden, right? So who cares if he gets hit by an attack or two?"

Mendy glared at Nami as she laughed at her own joke. "What're you saying? That's not funny, Nami! He could get seriously hurt and you're just gonna laugh at it?"

Nami stopped laughing. "Hey, calm down. I was only joking. Why're you so defensive about him anyway? What's going on?"

Mendy blushed and diverted her gaze. "N-N-Nothing, nothing at all! I-I-I only said it because… if he gets hurt, then he won't be able to pay me back for the bike."

Nami stared at Mendy before nodding. "Oh yeah, good point! He still needs to pay you back! We can't let him have an excuse for bailing out on that!"

Mendy nodded. "Uh, yeah, that's right. That's what I meant. He has to pay me back for the bike. And that's all." She finished with a nervous laugh. "Well, I'm all done soaking. I'm getting out. I'll see you back in the room."

She rushed out of the tub, grabbed her towel, and left, leaving Nami sitting alone and confused as she watched Mendy run out the door.

She leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "What was that all about?"

Mendy stood on the other side of the door breathing heavily. She didn't know why she suddenly snapped at Nami, but the thought of Ayden getting hurt made her angry. She didn't like the idea, but didn't know why.

She tightened her grip on her towel and buried her face in her hand. "What's… going on with me?"

* * *

Night soon fell and the group retired to their bedroom. Jin fell sound asleep on the top bunk bed and snored while his leg dangled off the edge, Nami slept on the bunk bed on top of Mendy's, and Mendy slept with her head resting on her arm. Her mind swept her into a dream of seeing Ayden fighting against the Vermilion Gym leader. The leader ordered his pokémon to launch an attack that hit Ayden in the shoulder. She watched him clutch his shoulder and stagger to get up. Her eyes widened when another wave of attacks headed his way. She tried to call out to him, but her voice wouldn't come out. The attack struck him and he fell backward. The moment he hit the floor, she woke up with a jolt. She clutched her blanket as she took in deep breaths.

After she calmed down, she wiped her brow, then placed her hand on her forehead. "This is getting ridiculous. I'm even dreaming about it. Why am I even thinking about this so much?" Her thoughts shifted back to the memory of Ayden yelling at her father. She could still hear the anger and ferocity in his voice. Every time she thought of it, her heartbeat increased with excitement and her face flushed red. When she realized what it could mean, she shook her head violently and buried her face into her pillow. "No, that can't possibly be it. There's no way. There's absolutely no way!" She looked over and sighed when she saw Ayden's bed empty. "I have a feeling I know where he is."

She walked outside and saw Ayden and Piik training. Piik jumped into the air and performed an Iron Tail on a boulder, splitting it in two. She then moved to the next three boulders and split all of them cleanly in half. Mendy became entranced by the hard work they were putting in. Piik's moves were so fast and smooth, she couldn't look away. She stepped on a twig and the sound alerted both Ayden and Piik. She paused when they instantly turned toward her.

She smiled and laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to see how you guys were doing."

Ayden lowered his shoulders. Ever since that incident with Team Chaos in Cerulean, he'd been on high alert keeping an eye out for them. "Did we wake you?"

Mendy diverted her gaze. "N-No, I just… I actually couldn't sleep." She looked at him and immediately took notice of the bags under his eyes. It was as if he hadn't slept in days. "Shouldn't you be getting some sleep yourself? You have your gym match tomorrow, right?"

Ayden diverted his gaze. He didn't want her or the others to see he hadn't been getting much sleep lately. He had to make sure Team Chaos didn't get the jump on them, especially during the night. They were after him, which meant the others were in danger. He had to keep watch and make sure nothing happened to them. If that meant sacrificing some sleep, then so be it.

Ayden looked back at her and placed his hands in his pockets. "I'm fine. I'll be back in shortly. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Mendy gripped her arm and gazed at the ground. "Well actually, do you have a minute?"

* * *

Ayden and Mendy sat on a nearby bench while Piik rested with a chocolate bar Ayden gave her. Mendy sat nervously thinking of a way to start the conversation, while Ayden took a sip out of his water bottle.

He set the water bottle down and leaned back on the bench. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Mendy perked up and blushed. She wanted to talk to him about it, but still wasn't fully ready. She shook her head and steeled herself. There was no turning back now. She had to just come out and say it. "W-Well, I was just thinking… I never really thanked you for what you did back in Cerulean."

He turned to her. "What do you mean?"

She twiddled her fingers and looked up at the sky. "When you yelled at my dad… you said some… things about me." Her heartbeat increased and she found it difficult to say anything more. "You… said I was… a wonderful person with a beautiful dream. Did… did you really mean that?"

He stared at her for a moment and then took another sip of water. "Yeah, I did." Mendy's face reddened. "You are a wonderful person and you have a dream that's worth striving for. You're a far better person than I'll ever be."

She turned toward him. "Wait, what do you mean?"

He paused before setting his water bottle down and standing up. "Come on, Piik, let's get back to work."

Piik wiped the chocolate off her face and joined Ayden back on the field, while Mendy stood up and watched as they resumed their training.

* * *

The next morning, Ayden and the others made their way to the Vermilion gym with Ayden leading the group.

Jin walked behind Ayden and clenched his fists in excitement. "Ah, man! This is it! Another awesome gym battle from Ayden! I know this is going to be a good one! I can feel it!"

Nami yawned. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure it'll be a grand slam victory for him. Let's just get this over with. I really want to see that luxury cruise liner, the famous St. Anne!"

Jin looked at her. "Really? I've been interested in that too! They say it's the perfect ship and the largest in the world! It's supposed to be like a hotel!"

While Jin and Nami discussed the ship, Mendy tuned both of them out and focused on Ayden as he yawned. The bags underneath his eyes had deepened, and she knew he didn't get to sleep until late. When she woke up that morning, he was already out of bed. Before she could think about it any further, she looked up and saw they had arrived at their destination. Before them stood a large building outfitted with yellow thunderbolt designs.

Ayden walked up and opened the doors. Inside, they were greeted by two guards; a female wearing camouflage pants and a red tank top, and a male wearing similar pants and a black leather unzipped jacket. Both looked at the group with intimidating glares.

The male lit a cigarette. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

Ayden stepped forward. "I'm Ayden from Viridian City, and I request a match with the leader of this gym."

Both the female and male stared at him for a moment then grinned. The male took the cigarette from his mouth and blew out a puff of smoke. "Hey, boss! Another victim for the ER!"

The room fell silent as they all waited for the arrival of the gym leader. Soon, Ayden's group heard thunderous footsteps stomp toward them. Out of the shadows, the gym leader emerged, and Ayden's group looked up to a man twice Jin's size and five times as bulky. He wore black boots, camouflage pants, an open jacket that revealed a chiseled six pack, had short blonde hair and yellow eyes.

Jin took a step backward. "Holy… he's humongous!"

The gym leader spread his arms wide and smiled and his voice boomed throughout the room. "Welcome to the Vermilion Gym! I'm Lieutenant Surge, the gym leader! Who amongst you has come to face me in combat?"

Ayden stepped forward. "I have!"

Surge looked at him and smiled. "Well, what do we have here? A little boy wants to fight me!" He leaned over and patted Ayden on the head. "Well, little boy, I'll be sure to go easy on-,"

He stopped as Ayden lifted Surge's arm off his head. Surge tried to pat him again, but Ayden barely prevented him from touching him.

"Don't… underestimate… me!"

Surge pulled away and laughed. "Well, not bad, little boy! Looks like you got some power behind you!" He looked and saw Piik on Ayden's shoulder and his smile widened. "Wait, what's this? Hey, guys, check it! Little boy brought in a little baby pokémon!"

He and his cohorts laughed and Ayden clenched his fists. "What's so funny?"

Surge turned back to Ayden and pulled out a pokéball. "I'll show you! Go, pokéball!" The ball burst open and in a flash Raichu appeared. Raichu stood twice Piik's size and had a much rounder face and yellow cheeks. Its long thunderbolt-tipped tail swayed back and forth in eager anticipation of the upcoming match.

Jin gasped and adjusted his glasses. "No way, a Raichu! Pikachu's evolved form! That's so cool!"

Mendy took a closer look at Raichu and its menacing sadistic face. "I don't know. That Raichu looks really vicious. You should be careful, Ayden. That's what the other trainers have been fighting all this time."

Surge placed his hands on his hips. "You get it now, little boy? You better quit before your precious little baby pokémon gets hurt!"

Ayden lightly smiled. "You seem to do a lot of underestimating. You think just because you've taken down a few trainers, you'll easily win the next challenge? If I were you, I'd pay more attention to the hubris in your words. I'll say this one more time, don't underestimate me or Piik!"

Jin pumped his fists in the air. "Yeah, that's right, Ayden! You tell him!"

Mendy smiled and Nami nodded in agreement, but Surge simply laughed. "Oh please, what can a tiny baby pokémon like that do? Look, little boy, if you want to be a Pokémon Master, then you better evolve your pokémon the moment you catch them! That's the only way you'll ever get them to realize their full potential!"

Ayden squinted his eyes. Evolve as soon as you catch them? He kneeled and patted Piik on the head. "There's more to raising pokémon than forcing them to evolve… and I like Piik just the way she is." At that, Ayden lightly smiled. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she was more powerful than your Raichu is right now."

Surge clicked his tongue and glared at Ayden. "Well, look who's doing the underestimating now? Fine, looks like you'll have to learn the hard way, just like everyone else!"

He snapped his fingers and the lights to the gym turned on revealing the battlefield. Jin, Mendy, and Nami took to the stands while Ayden and Surge took to opposite ends of the field.

Jin took out his pokéballs and called out Vulpix and Clefairy. "Hey, guys, Ayden's about to have his gym battle. Let's be sure to cheer him on so he'll win, okay?" Both pokémon nodded and Jin stood up. "Go, Ayden! You've got this, man! Take him out!"

Nami sat back and yawned. "Okay, let's hurry up and get this over with so I can check out that luxury ship. How about you, Mendy?"

Mendy stared intensely at Ayden with her mind wandering back to her dream. "Good luck, Ayden. You can win this. Please be careful."

The referee for the match stood off to the side of the field and looked at both trainers. "This is a one-on-one match between the gym leader, Lieutenant Surge, and the challenger, Ayden. There will be no time limit. The prize at stake is the Thunder Badge. If both trainers are ready, then let the battle begin!"

At that, Surge crossed his arms and smiled. "All right, little boy, I'm gonna teach you what it means to fight on the battlefield with your life on the line!"

Ayden furrowed his brow. "What do you mean? Have you been injuring trainers on purpose then?"

Mendy's eyes widened. Surge scoffed then took off his jacket and showed his backside. Jin and the girls gasped as his back showed several deep scars, bullet wounds, and burn marks. "Before I became a gym leader, I was a soldier for the Army! I had to fight every day with my men just to keep our country safe! We suffered many losses and these wounds on my back are proof that I fought in those battles!" He put his jacket back on and turned toward Ayden. "Being out on the battlefield taught me an important lesson! Everything is a battle! You can't show mercy to your opponent, under any circumstances! That's the law of the world, little boy, and Raichu and I will show you firsthand! Go, Raichu! Thunderbolt!"

Raichu charged its cheeks and launched the attack. Ayden clenched his fists. "Piik, Thunderbolt!" Piik charged her cheeks and fired back. When the attacks collided, Raichu's powered through Piik's. "Piik, dodge it!"

Piik complied and moved out of the way in time. When she regained her balance, Raichu appeared behind her.

"Raichu, Mega Kick!"

Raichu wound up and its foot glowed as it channeled its energy and then kicked Piik in the back, knocking her to the other side of the battlefield.

Ayden furrowed his brow. Raichu packed more power than he thought. "Piik, are you okay?"

Surge laughed as Piik staggered to get up. "Raichu, let's end this! Body Slam!"

Raichu ran up to Piik and dropped its entire body on her. Piik cried as her body was nearly crushed by the attack.

Mendy and Nami gasped while Jin clenched his teeth and fists. "Damn it! Come on, Ayden! You can do it, Piik! Fight on!"

Surge crossed his arms again and smiled. "Looks like this is it! Raichu, give it another Body Slam!"

Raichu geared itself up for the attack, and positioned itself to drop onto Piik.

Ayden grinned. The moment had finally come. "Okay, let's get to it! Piik, dodge with Agility!"

Piik opened her eyes and disappeared before Raichu landed on top of her. Both Surge and Raichu looked around for her only to find her on the other end of the field.

Surge blinked in confusion. "How did it get there so fast? Oh well! Raichu, Thunderbolt!"

Raichu geared up and launched another attack toward Piik.

"Piik, Agility!"

Piik crouched down and disappeared again before the attack connected. Raichu looked around and backed away when Piik appeared in front of it.

Surge clenched his fists in irritation. "Raichu! Don't let that little baby get the better of you! Use Mega Punch!"

Raichu wound up, but Piik disappeared before it could launch its attack.

Mendy and Nami looked at the match in confusion as Piik kept dodging all of Raichu's attacks.

Nami scratched her head. "Wait, what's going on? Why doesn't Ayden just attack already?"

Jin rubbed his chin for a bit before snapping his fingers. "I think I got it. Remember what Surge said when we entered the gym? He evolved his pokémon the moment he caught it. If that holds true, then he evolved his Pikachu too soon, and in doing so, his Raichu never got to learn all the speed moves it can only learn in the Pikachu stage. That must be what Ayden was going for this entire time. He knew he couldn't overpower Raichu, but could easily out-speed it."

Nami turned toward Jin. "Wait, you mean he had that strategy this whole time? You gotta be kidding me!"

Mendy smiled and clapped her hands together. She knew Ayden had a plan. There was no way he would lose to someone like that.

Raichu panted and wiped away sweat as Piik stood calmly waiting for it to strike again. Surge clenched his teeth in frustration. No matter what attack Raichu invoked, that Pikachu somehow managed to get out of it. "But, how? Why can't Raichu land a single hit?"

Ayden grinned. "It's really simple, Surge. You evolved your Pikachu too fast and because of that, your Raichu is too slow. You'll never hit Piik with that kind of speed. She could run laps around this gym faster than Raichu can blink."

Surge balled his hands and stomped the floor. "Damn you! Raichu! Light up this entire place! Take down that baby pokémon now! Use Thunder!"

Raichu nodded, charged its cheeks, and launched its attack. The attack flew every which way throughout the gym, causing Jin and the girls to duck into the bleachers.

Ayden covered himself with his arms. "Piik! Hang in there!"

Piik heard him loud and clear. She watched for each bolt of lightning and dodged accordingly. She just had to wait it out a few more seconds, then she'd unleash her counterattack and give Ayden the win.

She sidestepped and barely dodged an oncoming bolt, but her eyes widened as she saw it head straight for Ayden. The bolt struck him in the shoulder and knocked him off his feet. Mendy gasped and Jin and Nami looked on in worry as they saw Ayden writhing on the floor.

Piik stood petrified at what she just saw. How could she let this happen? She could've easily prevented him from getting hurt. She could've taken the hit, but she chose to dodge instead. Her breathing hastened. The more she thought about her actions, the quicker it got. Seeing him in so much pain caused her to hyperventilate and perspire.

He got hurt because of her. Ayden got hurt because of her. She kept running that thought through her mind until a pulse resonated throughout her entire body. She held her head as a sharp pain surged through her. Her heart pounded fiercely and a stinging, burning sensation traveled throughout her body. Her eyes widened as the pain increased telling her who truly was at fault. Ayden got hurt and that Raichu did it. She had to get her revenge. She had to strike down those who'd injure her trainer and make them pay.

She bared her fangs and allowed her anger to take over. Her eyes turned from green to blood-red and the brown fur on her back and tail turned blue to match her cheeks. Electricity sparked wildly out of her body and flew in every direction, turning from yellow to pitch black. She faced Raichu who backed up in fear at the spectacle. Ayden sat still as Piik's electricity filled the entire gym, causing light bulbs to blow out, windows to crack and burst, and Mendy and the rest to duck behind the bleachers.

Mendy slowly peered over the bleachers to check if it was safe to come out of hiding. She ushered Nami and Jin to come out as well and they gazed at the sight before them. Mendy clamped her hand over her mouth as she looked at Piik. She became a completely different creature.

Jin adjusted his glasses to make sure he wasn't going crazy. First Piik had blue cheeks, now she had black lightning and could change her coloring. He didn't know what to believe anymore. "This goes way beyond anything I've read before. How is this possible?"

Mendy shook her head. "I don't know. But we need to do something to stop this match and find out what's wrong with Piik." She looked over and saw Ayden slowly get onto his feet. "Ayden, wait!"

Ayden had no idea what to make of this situation, but knew he had to stop the match before someone got hurt. "Surge! I withdraw-,"

Surge spoke out before Ayden could finish his sentence. He stomped his foot and snapped Raichu out of its daze. "Raichu! Don't let that little baby pokémon boss you around! Knock it out with another Thunder attack!"

Ayden's eyes widened. "No, wait!"

Raichu nodded and charged up all the energy it could muster. Raichu didn't know what this pikachu did, but there was no way it was going to lose to its own pre-evolved form. It launched the attack and the bolts of electricity tore through the gym floor at an incredible speed.

Ayden clenched his teeth as the attack approached Piik. "Piik, dodge it! Get out of the way!"

His words didn't reach her. All she could think about was getting her revenge on the one who injured him. Nothing else mattered. She stood her ground and the attack connected, resulting in an explosion that caused Ayden and the others to cover their eyes.

Surge grinned. Regardless of how fast that pikachu was, there's no way it could've taken the full impact of that attack. His grin soon faded as the smoke cleared and Piik stood as though nothing happened. Her body was completely devoid of injury, as if the attack simply bounced off her. Ayden and the others couldn't believe their eyes as Piik stood unfazed by the attack.

Jin adjusted his glasses, shaking from a combination of amazement and fear. "This… is… incredible. Piik's like on a completely different level or something."

Surge's jaw dropped in shock. "But… how? That attack was a direct hit! Fine! If electric attacks won't work, then try this! Raichu, Mega Punch!"

Raichu charged at Piik with its fist aglow. When it was in range, Piik stopped it cold with one paw. Raichu tried to push back with the force of the Mega Punch, but Piik didn't budge. Soon, the Mega Punch died out and Raichu went straight into a Mega Kick, but Piik again blocked it with one paw. Frustrated, Raichu attacked with its tail, but Piik disappeared before it struck. It looked around for Piik only to discover she was directly behind it the entire time.

Raichu jumped backward in an attempt to gain distance between them and Surge stared blankly at the situation. This was unheard of. He'd never seen a Pikachu move like this. Its speed, power, and defense had all increased at least tenfold.

Piik never took her eyes off of Raichu. Now was the time for her to get revenge for what it did to Ayden. She reared back and let her anger up her power more. Her voice roared throughout the gym and caused Raichu's heart to drop. She crouched down and prepared for an attack.

Raichu looked on nervously at Piik. Never did it think it would be afraid of its own pre-evolved form. It stared at Piik, wondering what she would do next. It blinked and Piik vanished. It looked around wondering where she went, but then cried out in pain as Piik slammed into its stomach. The blow caused Raichu to cough up blood and its eyes to bulge. Raichu flew from the field toward the back wall of the gym. Before it collided, Piik appeared and used Iron Tail to knock Raichu back to the other end. She repeated the process several times, knocking Raichu relentlessly around the gym with each impact resulting faster than the last. She launched Raichu toward the ceiling and then caught it by the tail. With little effort, she swung Raichu around and bashed its face into the gym floor.

The referee stood in amazement and shock and called the match after watching Raichu remain motionless for several seconds. "R-R-Raichu's unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner! The victory goes to the challenger Ayden!"

Piik then swung Raichu around and launched it toward Surge, knocking them both into the back wall. Surge reeled from the hit and coughed. He looked at Raichu and his eyes widened as he saw blood run out of Raichu's mouth and the top of its head. "What the hell was that? I've never seen anything like it before! Never seen such speed! Such Power! What was-,"

He trailed off when he saw Piik follow up by launching a stream of black lightning toward him and Raichu. He'd been shocked by Raichu many times, but it didn't compare to the strength of this black lightning. He felt he was being struck by the heavens. He screamed as the attack blasted them through the wall, knocking him out. The male and female gym assistants rushed to their boss as he lay on the ground unconscious.

Ayden looked up and saw Piik still firing off one attack after another. She couldn't even tell the fight had ended. Her attacks uplifted the flooring, split the bleachers, and collapsed the ceiling, causing the building to shake and crumbled around them. Jin, Mendy, and Nami all ran out onto the field to join Ayden.

Mendy knelt down beside him. "Ayden, what's going on? What's wrong with Piik?"

Ayden shook his head. He had no idea what happened to her. He knew he just had to help her. He staggered, but managed to get onto his feet. "You guys get out of here and call an ambulance for Surge! I'll get Piik!"

Mendy grabbed his arm. "Wait! What about you? You're injured!"

Ayden jerked his arm out of her grip. "Piik is more important right now! She's in a lot of pain and I have to help her! Now go!"

With that Ayden rushed toward Piik while Jin and Nami headed for the exit. Nami turned around to see Mendy hadn't moved. "Mendy! Hurry up! This place is about to collapse!"

Mendy clenched her teeth and balled her hands. She wanted to stay and help Ayden, but felt she'd only get in the way. She turned and made her way toward the exit. "You better be careful, Ayden."

She made it out and joined Jin and Mendy outside along with the rest of the gym staff. Ayden ran toward Piik while dodging her attacks. He took hold of her and wrapped her in his arms. "Piik! Enough! You won! It's over! You can stop now!"

She didn't listen. She couldn't hear him at all. All she could see was Ayden getting hurt because of her own complacency. She vowed she'd protect him, and then this happened. She had to make all those responsible pay. She struggled in his arms and continued to fire off attacks. The gym continued to collapse with chunks of the ceiling falling down on them. Ayden held her closer and shielded her from the debris as it bombarded his head and back.

Piik saw Ayden in the distance injured and reaching out to her for help. She tried to run to him, but was held back and couldn't move. She didn't know what was holding her, but knew she had to make it let go. It had to be trying to keep her from protecting Ayden. She couldn't let it have its way. She bared her fangs and chomped into Ayden's arm.

Ayden winced as Piik gnawed at his flesh, dripping blood onto the floor. His eyes changed from its normal hazelnut to the dichromatic blue and gold pattern and he felt a pulse surge through his body, forcing him to close his eyes. When he opened them, he found himself floating within a void that stretched endlessly in all directions. He looked to see Piik no longer in his arms.

"Piik! Where are you? Answer me!" His breathing hastened as his search yielded no results. Another pulse surged through him and he gripped his chest as the pain struck his heart. "Where… am I anyway? What is this? Why does my chest hurt so much?"

He stopped and his eyes widened as a presence appeared behind him. He could tell without looking it towered over him several times over. He could feel its energy getting closer and stronger, a powerful aura of bloodlust and anger.

He slowly turned toward the gargantuan being. He could only see a silhouette, but knew where the creature stood as he fixated on its blood-red eyes. It stretched its wings and caused a powerful gust of wind to encircle Ayden and knock the air out of him. Ayden stared closely at the monstrous juggernaut. To be face-to-face with such a creature, sent chills down his spine.

After a moment, Ayden's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "This is… it couldn't be. You're-,"

The creature reared back and roared in Ayden's face. Its voice hit him with full force knocking him backward. He fell and watched the mighty beast look down on him as he continued to plummet into the abyss.

He woke up with a jolt back in the gym with Piik continuing to fire off attacks. He looked down at his ailing partner and realized he had seen the inner depths of her soul. Whatever he saw, it had infused itself inside her, giving her this extraordinary power. A power that had been forced onto her. The pain and torment she must've gone through back at Team Chaos' labs, he didn't even want to think about.

He gently held her close and softly spoke to her. "It's going to be okay, Piik. I know you're in a lot of pain, but you don't have to worry anymore! I'll do everything I can to protect you. So please, Piik, just stop."

At that, Ayden's voice broke through and Piik stopped her rampage. Her breathing calmed, her eyes went back to their green hue, and her fur went back to normal. She looked around the crumbling gym and wondered what happened. The gym was fine and intact a moment ago. She looked up at Ayden and gasped when she saw blood running down the side of his face and the large bite mark on his arm.

His eyes returned to their normal hazelnut color and he smiled. "I'm glad you're back to your old self, Piik."

Her eyes widened and her heart sank when the realization hit her. She did all this. She's the one who caused the destruction of the gym and the injuries to Ayden. How could she? She vowed to protect him.

Ayden held her closer and hugged her. "You had me worried, Piik. I'm glad you're safe. Come on, let's get out of here."

She couldn't believe it. After all she just did, he forgave her so easily. She's the one who injured him. She's the one who went on a rampage. So, why would he forgive her? Tears fell down her cheeks and she cried into his shoulder.

* * *

Outside, Jin and the girls stood waiting for any sign of Ayden and Piik. Off to the side, the gym staff stood by their leader as he and Raichu remained unconscious. With the ambulance on their way, everyone hoped the rest of the gym remained intact.

Jin heaved a deep breath. "It's gotten really quiet. Do you think they're okay in there?"

Nami shook her head. "Don't know. I've never seen anything like that. Who would've thought Piik had that kind of power?"

Mendy shook with anticipation. "I can't take it! I'm going in!" Before she could move, Jin grabbed her wrist. "Let me go, Jin!"

Jin tightened his grip. "Are you crazy? You can't go in there! The gym's too unstable right now! One wrong move and you could cause the whole thing to fall on you, Ayden, and Piik!"

Mendy shifted her gaze from him to the ground. She knew he was right, but she had to do something. "But, I just can't stand still and-,"

She trailed off when she saw Ayden slowly step out of the gym and walk toward the group. Jin and the girls rushed toward him and were shocked to see his face and arm covered in blood.

"Dude, you okay? What happened to you in there?"

Ayden shrugged. "Nothing much."

Mendy stepped in front of him and grabbed him by the shirt. She exerted her anger while trying to hold in her tears. "Nothing much? How can you say that? Look at you! You're a total mess! And you had us all worried too! How can you just brush this off like it's nothing?"

Ayden stared at her with an unfazed expression. "Because the one we all should be worried about right now is Piik. We need to get her to the Center and quick."

They all focused their attention on the exhausted pokémon. With all her energy taxed, she lay limp in Ayden's arm.

Jin stepped forward and observed her. "Yeah, you're right, man. Come on, let's move. They've already called an ambulance for Surge."

With that, the group made their way toward the Pokémon Center.

* * *

The afternoon setting sun filled the hospital room as Surge rested in his bed with his body covered in bandages. His staff stood over him watching carefully, hoping he'd wake up soon. He winced and slowly opened his eyes as the sunlight streamed through the blinds and hit his face, much to his staff's delight.

"Sir, you're awake! How do you feel?"

Surge looked around, dazed and lightheaded. "Where am I?" He tried to sit up, but his staff forced him back down.

The female door guard gently adjusted his blanket. "Sir, you have to take it easy. You suffered a great deal of injuries."

Surge's eyes widened. "That's right! The match! Where's Raichu?"

The male door guard scratched the back of his head. "Raichu's in the Pokémon Center, sir. It was in real bad shape."

Surge stared at the ceiling. "I see! Then I lost pretty badly, huh?" He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Take me to the Center!" The staff tried to get him to lie back down, but he forced himself out of the bed. "There's no time for that! I'm the gym leader, damn it! I decide when I rest! Now, take me to the Center!"

* * *

That night, Ayden and the rest of the group watched as Nurse Joy tended to Piik. Piik lay on the hospital bed sleeping soundly while Joy performed several tests. Ayden stood with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. His arm, shoulder, and head had all been bandaged.

Jin scratched the back of his head. "That… was intense. I've never seen Piik freak out like that. Is it bad that I also think it was kinda awesome?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, I agree with you, but it was scary too. I almost didn't think we'd get out of there. I'm just glad everyone's okay."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, Ayden, do you have any idea why Piik lost control like that? And what was with that black lightning?"

Ayden stared at Piik while his mind thought about the large creature he saw. To force the powers of a legendary pokémon inside Piik, made him sick to his stomach. He balled his hands trying to hold in his anger.

He saw Nurse Joy leave the room and walk toward them. "Nurse Joy, how's she doing?"

Joy nodded and smiled. "You have nothing to worry about, Ayden. Your Pikachu's doing just fine. All she needs is a little rest and she'll be back on her feet in no time. I did run some tests, as per your request, but everything checks out. She's perfectly normal. I didn't see anything wrong."

Ayden furrowed his eyebrows. He knew what he saw wasn't his imagination. Team Chaos definitely did something to her and going through normal means wouldn't bring forth any reliable results. All he could do was accept the current answer presented before him.

He bowed. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

She smiled and went back to work. Jin walked up and placed his hand on Ayden's good shoulder. "That's great news, right? Piik's going to be fine and we don't have anything else to worry about. So, how about we go get ourselves a room and get ready for dinner?"

Their attention switched to the Center doors as Surge and his staff walked in. Surge made a beeline for Ayden the moment he spotted him. His staff followed closely, but gave death glares to Ayden along the way.

Ayden's group looked up at Surge as he stood over him. Jin, Mendy, and Nami all braced themselves for what would come next.

Ayden stared at Surge and he glared back. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant Surge?"

Surge crossed his arms. "I came here to check on Raichu, but there's something I need to take care of first!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow badge in the shape of an eight-pointed gold star with an orange octagon in the center. "I believe this belongs to you!"

Surge's staff squealed in disbelief. The male door guard approached him. "You can't be serious, sir! Do you realize what he did to your gym?"

Surge gently pushed him back. "I know exactly what he did! He won and defeated me and Raichu in combat! And this badge is proof of that!"

Ayden stared at the badge and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, but, I can't accept it."

Jin, Mendy, and Nami squealed in disbelief. Jin approached him. "You can't be serious, man! Come on, remember what happened? The ref even said the victory went to you!"

Mendy stepped in as well. "He's right, Ayden! You and Piik won that match. The badge is rightfully yours."

Ayden shot them a quick glance before looking back at Surge. "The way I see it, our battle wasn't conclusive. Piik went on a rampage and defeated Raichu without my guidance. With that, I can't accept it as a win."

Surge stared at Ayden and then grinned. "That's where you're wrong, Ayden! Let me tell you something! I've been involved in many battles when I was in the Army! Each one of those battles taught me something! When the battle starts, you use everything at your disposal to win! That rule can be applied to anything, including gym battles! You battled without cheating or any type of underhanded tactics, and your Pikachu emerged the victor! Perhaps it wasn't the type of victory you wanted, but you fulfilled all the requirements needed to win this badge! It was an honor to fight you, Ayden! You and your Pikachu have earned this! Wear it proudly and continue the path toward the League!" With that, he opened Ayden's hand and placed the badge in his palm. "Now then! Keep getting stronger and moving forward!"

He and his staff continued down the hallway toward Raichu's room.

While Ayden stood staring at his new badge, Jin popped up and slapped him on the back. "See? What'd I tell you, man? That badge was rightfully earned! That's three down and five to go!" He looked to see Ayden stare at his new badge with a solemn expression. "Come on, man, don't be so down. Just think how Piik would feel. She gave her all in that match for you."

Ayden thought back to the fight and how Piik dominated Raichu. Now that he had a chance to think about it, Piik didn't show that excess amount of power until after he got hit in the shoulder.

When the realization hit him, he gripped the badge and gave a nod. "Yeah… maybe you're right."

* * *

The next morning, Mendy felt the sun on her face and woke up. She sat up, stretched, and yawned. She couldn't believe how well she slept considering all that happened yesterday. That's when she remembered Ayden's gym battle and Piik's rampage. She glanced over to the other beds and found Jin and Nami still asleep, but Ayden was nowhere to be seen. Concerned, she got up and quietly left the room.

She walked down the hallways of the Center, taking note how eerie and quiet it was during the early morning hours. She came across Piik's room and saw Ayden sitting beside her bed, struggling to stay awake. The bags under his eyes had grown deeper and his eyelids kept closing on him, but he refused to fall asleep and continued to stroke her fur. She could barely believe it. Despite all that had happened, he stayed up the entire night for her.

Ayden gently stroked Piik's fur as she slept peacefully. All he could think about was what happened at the gym and how he didn't want her to go through that again.

"Piik… please be okay. I promise… I won't let that happen again. Just please be okay." Piik stirred and opened her eyes. She turned her head and gazed at Ayden. The sight of him made her smile and Ayden smiled back. "You're awake. How're you feeling?"

Piik jumped up and froze when she saw his bandages. Her memories of the battle surfaced and she slowly backed away. She didn't deserve to be near him after what she did.

Ayden quickly wrapped her in his arms and gave her a hug and her eyes widened in astonishment. "I'm sorry, Piik, that you had to go through that. I'm so sorry. I'll never let you go through that again, I promise. I'm just glad you're okay."

Piik teared up. How could he still care so much for her even though she hurt him this badly? She believed after all she did, there would be no way he'd forgive her and he'd let her go, but he embraced her instead; only concerned for her well-being. Her tears streamed down her face and she hugged him back, wishing that moment would last forever.

Mendy wiped away a tear and smiled as she watched them through the window. She had nothing to worry about.

Piik felt Ayden lean forward and plop onto the bed breathing heavily. She shook his head, trying to get him to wake up, all the while wondering what happened.

She heard the door slide open and saw Mendy walk in with her finger to her lips, signaling her to be quiet.

She grabbed a blanket and gently placed it over Ayden's shoulders. "You have nothing to worry about, Piik, Ayden's fine. He's just exhausted. He's been staying up late these past couple of nights, then he stayed up all last night just to make sure you were okay. I say we let him get some rest. Come on."

Piik shook her head. After all Ayden had done for her and what she put him through, she wasn't going to leave his side no matter what. She nuzzled up against Ayden and curled into a ball.

Mendy chuckled. "Watch over him, okay, Piik?" Piik smiled and gave a nod. Mendy turned off the lights and looked back at Ayden. "You're a wonderful person too, Ayden." With that, she softly closed the door.

* * *

The personnel in the Team Chaos headquarters scrambled tirelessly as the first fragment of the Red Chain had been retrieved. They immediately went into analyzing and extracting the jewel, but all the work to break it down yielded little success. The power it emitted astounded them all. Never had they seen such pure energy before. They harvested the power as fast as they could, analyzing it as the energy sparked and flashed.

One scientist adjusted his glasses as he watched the readings on the energy output. "Well? What are the results? Write them down immediately!" He watched as his team of white coats and Chaos grunts ran around trying to get things in order. The readings spiked and the system burst and crashed. The scientist turned to his assistants. "Come on, you idiots! Captain Rose will be here soon! If we don't have any data for her, we're all gonna be screwed! Hurry up!"

He paused when he heard the door to the lab slide open. The entire room fell quiet as Rose stepped through. She whipped her hair behind her and strode toward the fragment.

"How's everything going, Dr. Tomou? I take it you're treating our precious Red Chain fragment with the utmost care?"

Tomou turned toward her and adjusted his glasses. "O-Of course, Captain Rose. We were in the middle of analyzing its energy output when the fragment short-circuited our systems. We'll have everything back in order in no time and give you a better reading of the fragment."

Rose smiled and walked toward the doctor. He felt sweat drip down his face and he swallowed his nerves.

She approached and placed her hand on his face and gently caressed it. "Excellent work, Dr. Tomou, I'm sure you'll have the data ready for me the next time I come by, right?"

Tomou nodded. "Y-Yes, absolutely! We'll have all the data you could want by the next time you visit."

Rose turned and headed for the exit. "That's good to hear, Doctor. I'll be back in an hour. If you don't have any data for me by then, all of you will be sent to the Experiment Sector!"

Everybody in the room gasped in shock. Tomou took a step toward her. "C-Captain Rose, with all due respect, it'll take at least a day to get our systems up and running again. Please, we just need a little more time."

Rose gave him a sharp look that caused him to back up in fear until he collided with the wall. "Let me tell you a little secret, Dr. Tomou, there are three things I hate the most in this world; number one: people who make me repeat myself, number two: weak men, and number three: weak men who touch me. You already fall into one of the categories, and it's about to be two."

She walked out of the room and smiled as she heard Tomou yell at everyone to get everything up and running again.

She walked into the conference room where a large circular table stood with chairs around it. In the end of the table, sat a small red button. She pressed it and then took a seat. On the opposite end of the room, a large widescreen television stood mounted and it flickered on revealing the face of a man that showed no emotion. He had long silver hair and crimson eyes.

She immediately stood up at attention and gave a salute. "Lieutenant Colonel Albrecht, sir! Captain Rose reporting!"

He saluted back. "Thank you, Captain Rose. As I understand it, everything has gone well and you've secured one of the Red Chain fragments?"

Rose nodded. "Yes, sir! Through the hard work and dedication of my subordinates, we were able to retrieve the first fragment of the Red Chain. Its power is unimaginable. Once we have all of the fragments together, there won't be anyone who can oppose us."

Albrecht nodded. "That's good to know. Have you been able to pinpoint the location of the next fragment?"

Rose nodded. "Yes, sir! We've located the next fragment and are readying a team to go retrieve it. We'll have the fragment within our possession by the end of tomorrow."

Albrecht nodded. "Very good. Keep me up to speed with all that occurs. I expect no failures from you. We must have the Red Chain assembled as soon as possible. Make sure you get all of the fragments."

With that, the screen clicked off and Rose sat in her seat and heaved a sigh of relief. She looked up at the ceiling and Ayden's face popped into her mind, making her smile. "Tick tock, tick tock, time is moving fast. Tick tock, tick tock, soon my waiting will end at last."

* * *

 **Thank you again for taking the time to read my chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. As always, let me know what you think of the story so far and expect chapter 14 to be posted around the same time next month!**


	14. St Anne

**Good evening, everyone! Welcome to chapter 14 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls. Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 14**

The battlefield erupted with explosions, as attacks flew in every direction and dust filled the air. Around the room, several grunts of Team Chaos desperately gasped for breath as they watched their pokémon attack in vain.

Alone on the opposite side of the grunts, a tall teenager with short spiky black hair and red eyes stood wearing the same black uniform with the silver 'C' on the chest, but he had a silver bar on his shoulders, giving him the rank of Chaos First Lieutenant.

He stood with his arms crossed and a huge sadistic smile on his face. "Come on, you bunch of weaklings! Is this the best you got? I'm getting bored over here! Come on! Who's ready for another beating, huh?"

The rest of the members backed up at his taunting. They've been training for hours, and none of them had been able to get a single hit on his pokémon yet.

The First Lieutenant, known throughout the organization as a man of very little patience, clenched his fists and yelled, with his voice echoing throughout the room. "Fine! If you won't come to us, then we'll just come to you! Yeah! Come on, let's take 'em down!"

At his command, his pokémon charged into its opponents, sending them flying across the room and slamming against the walls. It didn't stop with just the pokémon, as it went on to attack the other trainers until they too were motionless on the ground. With its work complete, it exhaled in content, and returned to its trainer's side.

The First Lieutenant smiled and took a pokéball out. "Well, done! You sure made short work out of those weak-ass peons. Together, we're the strongest team."

With that, he recalled the pokémon to its ball then placed it back on his belt. No sooner had he done that, his phone rang.

He rolled his eyes in irritation and answered. "Yeah, First Lieutenant Leberecht here." He smiled and stuck his hand in his pocket. "Hello, Captain Rose. This is out of the ordinary. Didn't expect to get a call from you?"

Rose leaned back in her chair with her slender smooth legs propped up on her desk. She brushed back her long pink hair and patted her faithful Persian.

"First Lieutenant Leberecht, you seem well. I take it your training is going just grand?"

Leberecht walked over to one of his unconscious opponents and nudged him with his foot. "Oh yeah, things are going great. These weak-ass losers were no challenge at all. You call this training? I want an actual challenge! Give me something that's actually worthy of my time!"

Rose grinned. "Well, if you're that eager, then I have just what you're looking for. I have an assignment for you that requires you to complete without fail. You can even take down a few people while you're at it."

Leberecht's smile widened. He'd been waiting for a mission like this. "All right, you got it, Captain. What's the mission? When do I start? Who do you want me to kill?"

Rose chuckled. "Patience, Lieutenant. I have a chopper coming your way soon. I'll give you the details when you arrive."

She hung up and Leberecht tightened his grip on his phone. How long he'd been waiting for a chance like this? Finally, a chance to go wild and let the higher brass know he's much stronger than they think he is.

"My time has come at last. I'm so eager for it, I can taste it already." He licked his lips and smiled. "It's freaking delicious!"

* * *

The tires screeched and car horns blared as the car swerved to dodge the oncoming truck. He felt the car smash against the guardrail and topple over several times before hitting the water. The moment the car hit the surface, he woke up with a jolt, breathing frantically trying to calm down. His golden locket dangled around his neck, and he quickly reached for it, holding it tight and close. The longer he held the locket, the calmer his breathing became.

With his breathing back to normal, he sat up and ran his fingers through his silver hair. Piik slept silently next to him, twitching her ears and wagging her thunderbolt-shaped tail. He patted her on the head, and the feel of his warm hands gliding across her fur woke her up. She yawned as she stretched out her limbs and tail. When she saw Ayden standing over her, she smiled brightly, ran up his arm to his shoulder and proceeded to lick him on the cheek.

He chuckled at the touch of her tongue. "Hey, glad you're feeling better, Piik. Thanks for watching over me while I slept." Piik's smile widened and she nuzzled against his head. "So, shall we get out of here for a bit?"

She nodded and they exited the room with her riding his shoulder.

* * *

The afternoon rush came and the cafeteria in the Pokémon Center quickly grew crowded and noisy. Mendy sat across the table from Nami and Jin as the three enjoyed a relaxing lunch.

Mendy slurped up her ramen noodles and pointed her chopsticks at them. "I'm telling you, it was the cutest thing ever! Ayden watched Piik throughout the entire night and fell asleep the moment she woke up! Then Piik nuzzled up beside him and fell back asleep! It was adorable!"

Nami took a bite of her burger and spoke sarcastically through a mouthful. "Wow, so he really does go to sleep. I've never seen that guy sleep at all. This is truly shocking news."

Jin took a sip of his soda. "I saw him sleep once, although he was just faking me out." He chuckled, then went back to drinking. "Classic Ayden."

Mendy chugged the broth of her ramen and slammed the bowl down on the table. "Who wants to go check on him with me?"

Nami unenthusiastically took another bite of her burger. "You know I would love to, I mean I really would, but I'm in the middle of a very delicious burger right now."

Mendy dropped her shoulders and stared at her. "Come on. Aren't you even a little worried about him?"

Nami swallowed her burger and stared back at Mendy. There had been something bothering her for the longest time and now seemed like the perfect chance to get it out in the open.

"You know, you've been doing a lot of worrying about him lately, especially since we got out of Cerulean. Is there something you want to tell us, Mendy?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Now that you mention it, you do seem a bit more concerned about Ayden now. When I first met you, you only cared about your bike, but you haven't mentioned that in a long while."

Mendy blushed and stuttered finding words to say. "W-w-w-what are you guys talking about? Can't a person be concerned about the well-being of a friend without being psychoanalyzed? Look, he needs to get better because… he still owes me the bike." She looked up at her friends' unconvinced expressions and then stood up. "I'm gonna go see how he's doing."

Jin and Nami watched as she briskly walked out of the cafeteria.

Jin turned to Nami. "Uh, what was that all about? Is she okay?"

Nami sighed. "Don't know."

Mendy walked steadily down the hallway toward Piik's room with Jin and Nami's words still ringing through her mind. The more she thought about them, the faster she walked. She shook her head as she tried to block them out of her mind. They couldn't have been more wrong. She just wanted to know how her friend was doing. Nothing else. She reached the room and flung open the door only to find no one inside.

She dropped her shoulders and hung her head in disappointment. "How could he be up already? He fell asleep only a couple hours ago." She heard footsteps and turned to see Nami and Jin walk up to her. "Wait, I thought you guys weren't coming."

Nami scratched the back of her head and diverted her gaze. "Yeah well, as annoying as that guy can be, this was obviously important to you… and I guess I was worried about him too. A little. Maybe."

Jin chuckled. "Yeah, you're right, Mendy. Ayden's our friend and he has been through a lot. He was there for us when we needed him, so it's our turn to help him."

Mendy smiled. She knew she could count on them. "Thanks, guys. That's really thoughtful of you."

Nami waved it down. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with. Where is he anyway?"

Mendy giggled nervously. "Well, that's the thing. He was gone when I got here."

Jin and Nami yelled 'what' in unison.

Jin adjusted his glasses and looked around the room. Like Mendy said, no one was there. "You mean he was able to get back on his feet after going through all that? I'd be really impressed if I wasn't so concerned. Classic Ayden."

Nami clenched her teeth and popped her knuckles. An aura of rage emanated from her and Jin backed up and gave her room.

"You mean… I turned down a deliciously perfect burger for this? Where is he? I'll make sure he's back in the hospital bed this time!"

She sprinted down the hallway toward the exit. Mendy looked at Jin and they both ran after her. They made it outside to the battlefield behind the Pokémon Center where they spotted Ayden just as he recalled his pokémon back to their pokéballs.

Mendy breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as Piik ran up his leg to his shoulder. He looked to be okay. As bandaged as he was, he moved around as if the events of yesterday never happened.

Jin waved and called out to him. "Hey, man, you doing okay? We missed you at the hospital bed! You sure you're okay to be moving around like that?"

Ayden nodded and walked toward the Pokémon Center.

As he passed the group, Mendy turned to him. "Wait, where you going? Do you need any help?"

Ayden continued towards the door. "Going to take a shower. Sure you want to help with that?"

As he entered the Pokémon Center, Mendy's face reddened.

Nami tightened her fists as her anger reached its boiling point. "Hey! Don't go putting nasty images in our heads, you jerk! Damn that lousy… I'm going back to my burger!"

Ayden finished giving Piik a bath and then laid her on his bed in the guest room. He turned the water on for the shower and took off his shirt, revealing the intricate branding of triangles and circles that covered the majority of his back. He still had no idea what it was or even how it got on him. He only knew it wouldn't go away no matter what he tried.

He stepped into the shower and winced as the water rolled down the branding, burning him.

* * *

The helicopter slowed its descent as it approached the base. Leberecht sat in his seat tapping his foot as his irritation slowly took over. He couldn't take it much longer. Being cooped up in that small plane for hours got on his nerves. He hated sitting still and he hated waiting even more.

"Would you hurry the hell up? Get this damn thing on the ground already!"

The helicopter finally made its landing and as the pilot made the final preparations, Leberecht jumped out of his seat and kicked the door to the helicopter open.

The pilot turned to him shock. "Lieutenant Leberecht! What are you doing, sir? Please, we ask that you be patient with us!"

Leberecht turned to him with a dissatisfied look. "Last I checked, I outrank you! So you should just shut up and do as you're told from your superior officer!"

The pilot sank back and bowed his head. "My deepest apologies, sir. It won't happen-,"

Leberecht took out a pokéball. "Dammit! Didn't I say shut up?"

"You're as quick-tempered as ever, Lieutenant."

Leberecht turned and saw Rose walk gracefully toward him along with two First Lieutenants. He lowered his shoulders as her hair billowed behind her like a cape and the wind slightly lifted her up her skirt just enough that he caught a glimpse of her perfectly smooth thighs.

As she approached, he jumped out of the helicopter, popped to attention and rendered a salute. "Captain Rose, how're you doing today?"

Rose saluted back. "I'm doing well, Lieutenant, but can you please explain to me why you felt the need to damage one of my very expensive helicopters?"

Leberecht looked at the dented door he kicked opened and scoffed. "That stuffy thing was slow, small, and cramped. I needed to get out of that damn thing as quickly as possible."

Rose crossed her arms and nodded. "I see. Well, if that's the case, then my sincerest apologies, Lieutenant. If a cramped space was not to your liking, then you should've just said so in the first place. I could've made arrangements to help you."

Leberecht raised an eyebrow. "Really, Captain?"

Rose smiled. "Why yes. If fact, I have the perfect method to help you get used to small cramped spaces." She snapped her fingers and Persian immediately pounced on Leberecht, pinning him to the ground with her claws at his throat. Sweat fell down his face as he felt Persian's warm breath and the vibration of her growl in his stomach. "You see, Lieutenant, the quickest way to get you used to small cramped spaces is to kill you and stuff you in a coffin. I'm certain you'll adjust to the accommodations rather quickly then. So, what will it be? Do you wish to learn to be in small cramped spaces, or do you wish to shut up and follow the orders of your superior officer? Take your time. You have ten seconds to answer."

Leberecht tossed his hands up. "Yes, Captain, I surrender! I'm sorry about the helicopter! I'll pay for the repairs! So, please!"

Rose glared at him for a moment then snapped her fingers. Persian got off of Leberecht and sat down at Rose's heels. "A wise decision, Lieutenant. Now, if you're done acting like a little child, we have work to do."

She turned on her heels and walked back to the base. Leberecht got up, dusted himself off, and followed, grumbling to himself. She led him down a flight of stairs and into a hallway. Everyone there stopped moving and rendered a salute as she passed. They reached an elevator and stood quietly as it slowly moved down to the lowest level of the base.

Leberecht tapped his foot as he looked up to see they only made it halfway to their destination. "So, what's this thing you want to show me?"

Rose gave him a displeased look. "In due time, Lieutenant."

They continued and Leberecht looked up again to see they still had several floors to go. "Come on! Can't this stupid thing go any faster? Captain!"

He turned to her and immediately backed off. Her glare sent shivers down his spine. "Lieutenant, let me tell you a little secret. There are three things I hate the most in this world; number one: people who make me repeat myself, number two: weak men, and number three: weak men who touch me. You fall in one of the three categories going on two. Keep this up and I'll make sure you drop so low in the ranks you'll never promote again."

Leberecht gulped and nodded. As he did, the elevator chimed and opened its doors. Rose walked out and flipped her hair. Leberecht followed after making sure he kept a reasonable distance behind her just for insurance.

The lowest level of the base, the Experiment Sector, consisted of hundreds of test tubes, computers, cages with pokémon and people chained inside, and several dozen Chaos grunts running around and making certain all the items and equipment functioned appropriately.

Leberecht looked in awe at the sight before him. He heard of the Experiment Sector, but didn't think it would be this intense.

He smiled. "So, this is it, huh?"

Rose shook her head. "No, this isn't what I want to show you. Come with me."

He followed her down a spiral staircase. One of the guards took notice of her entrance and called the entire room to attention. At his call, every member dropped what they were doing and rendered a salute.

Rose saluted back. "Carry on!"

At her call, every member went back to work. She led him through the room until they came across a large machine pulsating with red energy. Lightning sparked around it, electrifying the air. In the center sat a red jewel.

Rose turned to Leberecht. "This is what I wanted to show you. This is a fragment of the Red Chain. There are several other fragments scattered across this region and we need to get them all. Your assignment is to retrieve the next piece. We've already isolated its location."

She handed him a tablet and he turned it on and scanned through the contents.

After a moment, he grinned. "All right, sounds simple enough. When do I leave?"

* * *

The afternoon sun shined brightly overhead as Mendy made her way through the streets of Vermilion City carrying several bags of groceries. A nearby bench caught her eye and she took the opportunity to sit down and rub her shoulders.

"Okay, that should be everything on the list that we'll need. Now, if I had the upper body strength to carry all these back in one go, that'd be fantastic."

She looked up and saw a large crowd of people gathered around a small stand. On the other side stood a short pudgy man wearing a red jacket and round glasses.

He spoke in a loud voice with his hands in the air. "Hurry, hurry, hurry, on up folks! Try your luck for a chance to win four tickets to the luxury cruise liner St. Anne! You won't find any more tickets for this, folks! This is your last chance! Step right up and spin the lottery wheel! If the gold marble falls out, the tickets are yours!"

Mendy gazed at the tickets and knew she had to give it a shot. She sat back as many people tried their luck only to have a white ball fall out of the wooden wheel. When enough of the crowd had dispersed, she went up, handed the merchant the money, and placed her hand on the handle.

The merchant smiled. "Good luck, little lady! You have three chances!" She barely turned the wheel when a white ball fell out and the merchant shook his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry, but that's try number one."

Mendy looked at him with irritation. Of course winning wouldn't be easy. Games likes these were usually rigged, but even still, she had to keep going. She turned the wheel faster only to have another white ball fall out.

The merchant shook his head again. "Again, looks like another dud. You have one try left. Good luck."

Mendy's eyes burned with anger. She had to give everything she had in this last spin. She gripped the handle and turned the wheel as fast as she could muster. When all the strength in her arm left her, she let go of the handle. She watched as a marble fell out onto the metal plate with widened eyes.

* * *

Nami and Jin sat on the couch in the Pokémon Center listening to the news. The reporter, a young woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes, spoke of the St. Anne and how its voyage would be in just a few hours.

She stood with the microphone in her hand with the cruise ship behind her. "I'm here in front of the legendary luxury cruise liner, St. Anne. As you can see behind me, the crew is working tirelessly getting ready to set sail. Ladies and gentlemen, I've seen many cruise liners, but this one tops them all. This one-of-a-kind liner spans 3,200 feet long and 550 feet tall, making it the largest ship ever constructed in history. There are more than fifty restaurants, 3,000 hotel rooms, thirty swimming pools, and of course, over twenty different arenas for all those hot-blooded trainers out there. So, it's no surprise tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime cruise have sold out so quickly. Now we're very fortunate to able to get a few minutes with the ship's very own captain, Captain Cuttingham. Captain, how do feel about this upcoming and highly anticipated voyage?"

Cuttingham, a sturdy-built elderly man with a large bushy white beard leaned in and spoke into the microphone. "We're very excited about the upcoming voyage. We've worked very hard so that she and everyone on board will have a smooth and safe trip."

The reporter nodded. "Well, it's obvious why you chose to call it the 'The Ship of the Heart', but is there any further meaning behind it?"

Cuttingham chuckled. "Nothing too grand. She has sailed through most of the seas of the world and my dream is that she will continue to sail through them all. I put my heart into building her and I hope I can make the dreams of other people come true too."

The reporter nodded again. "You also mentioned that she isn't your stereotypical cruise liner in that there's a special power source for it. Can you elaborate for us?"

Cuttingham shook his head. "I'm afraid that's a secret, young lady, but I will say this. This ship was built to withstand anything. The power source can keep this ship going for years and years without fail. Not even Arceus himself could sink this ship."

The reporter smiled. "Well, thank you for your time, Captain Cuttingham, and we wish the St. Anne a pleasant trip. This has been a special report live from Vermilion Port."

Nami and Jin sank deeper into the couch as reality hit them. Neither of them had tickets and all the stores had sold out long before they even reached Vermilion City. Nami couldn't take it. She wanted to go on that cruise more than anything.

She jumped onto her feet and threw her hands into the air. "Ah, damn it all! If we'd gone straight here instead of stopping at Cerulean we could've gotten tickets! I blame Ayden for this!"

Jin stuck his hand in his pockets and yawned. "I'm just as disappointed as you, Nami. But come on, blaming Ayden's not gonna change anything."

Nami scoffed, sat back down, and crossed her legs. "Well, it makes me feel better!"

They looked up and saw Mendy walk up to them carrying the bags of groceries along with a large smile on her face.

Nami sat up as she approached the couch. "Hey, you're in a good mood for someone who had to do the shopping. How'd it go? You get everything on the list?"

Mendy's smile widened as she sat the bags down. "Oh, it went well. On my way back I just happened to come across a lottery stand where the grand prize was a set of four tickets for the St. Anne voyage! And guess who won the jackpot?"

She flashed the tickets and waved them in their faces. Both Nami and Jin sat in awe at the sight.

Nami jumped up and snatched them out of her hand. She looked at the tickets carefully and sure enough they were legit. "No freaking way!"

Jin sat up and adjusted his glasses as he gazed at the tickets. "Mendy, you actually won a lottery? I thought those things were rigged."

Mendy nodded. "Pretty cool, huh? Now we can enjoy a nice little vacation for a bit. A lot's happened since we all decided to travel together, we could really use some winding down."

Nami jumped up and hugged Mendy. She had the best friend in the entire world. "Mendy, you are so freaking awesome! This is amazing! I can't believe we're going on a cruise! We're going on a cruise! We're going on a cruise! We're going on a cruise!"  
Jin jumped into the fray and chanted along with them. On the other side of the door leading to the guest rooms, Ayden stood leaning against it, listening to their jubilation. A cruise? Water? Something he tried to avoid at all costs. Something that had been haunting him for years. Piik gazed at him with worry. She knew of his difficulties with large bodies of water. Going on this cruise was simply out of the question. She knew what she had to do. She had to destroy the tickets. She readied herself to jump off his shoulder, but he lightly smiled and patted her head.

"Thanks, Piik… I'll be okay."

* * *

The group made their way across the city toward the harbor with Mendy leading the way. Jin and Nami could barely contain their excitement and Ayden followed behind them with his hands in his pockets and Piik riding his shoulder.

They arrived at the harbor and stood in awe at all of the boats lined up. Each one more spectacular than the last. Anchored at the end of the long line of ships was the ship they were looking for, the famous St. Anne, the largest most luxurious ship in all of Kanto.

Mendy giggled as she watched Jin and Nami bow a kowtow to it. "Come on, you guys. I'm sure it's more impressive on the inside."

They walked up the staircase until they came to a steward, a tall brown-haired man wearing gray pants and a red vest over a white buttoned-up shirt.

She handed him the tickets and he bowed with a smile. "The entrance is just down this way. Thank you and please enjoy your stay on the St. Anne."

Mendy, Jin, and Nami beamed as they walked toward the entrance with a sign saying 'Pokémon Trainer Party Room'. They couldn't believe they were going to take a trip on the St. Anne. They walked through the entrance and gasped at the interior of the multi-story cruise liner. Hundreds of trainers stood in the main dining room talking to each other or bragging about their pokémon; dozens of vendors set up stands on the sides of the room, selling many different forms of merchandise; and tables, festooned with lavish appetizers and decorations, littered the floor.

Tears soon filled Jin's eyes and he fell to his knees. "I'm so happy right now! To be able to go on the famous St. Anne cruise is a dream come true! I'm so unworthy!"

He sobbed on the floor as Ayden, Mendy, and Nami walked by him and eyed all of what the ship had to offer.

Mendy looked around with a wide smile. To think she won the chance for them to be there. She still couldn't believe it. "Nami, this is amazing. What do you want to do first?"

Nami couldn't stop smiling as she looked around. "I don't know. There's so many things to do, it's hard to decide where to start." Her eyes soon fell on a large table filled with the most delicious food she'd ever seen. "Wait, I think I know where to begin. Let's hit the buffet!"

She and Mendy made a dash toward the table before they were stopped by one of the stewards, a pudgy man with a thick mustache.

Nami gritted her teeth in frustration. "Hey! What's the big idea? We're trying to get to the food! We have tickets if that's the problem!"

The steward shook his head. "That's not the problem, Miss. The food on this table is reserved for the trainer who wins our little tournament."

Mendy and Nami both blinked in confusion. "Tournament? What tournament?"

The steward pointed towards the battlefield on the second floor. "That's where our tournament is being held. The rules are simple. You can use only one pokémon throughout the entirety of your time in the tournament. The first trainer to win ten straight matches wins the buffet."

Nami raised an eyebrow. "Wait. So you're saying we have to battle our way through ten opponents just to eat some food? What's so special about this particular table than any of the other buffet stands on this ship?"

The steward grinned. "Miss, I'm glad you asked. The food behind me was made from the hands of the best culinary chefs in the Kalos region. Each morsel of food is prepared with the utmost care. One bite will make you feel like you're in Heaven!"

Both Mendy and Nami gulped down their hunger as they stared at the table of divine dishes.

Mendy regained her senses long enough to ask a question. "So, all we have to do is win ten matches in row with only one pokémon and the buffet is ours?"

The steward nodded. "That's right. But you'd better hurry, the gentleman up there has already won eight matches in a row."

With that, Mendy and Nami dashed up the stairs to get a glimpse of the upcoming match. They pushed and shoved their way through the crowd just in time for a young trainer and his Starmie to go up against the gentleman and his Raticate. Above each trainer hung a red and green light.

The young trainer had short brown hair and wore jeans and a green shirt. The gentleman stood very tall and thin, wearing a sharp black tuxedo complete with white gloves, top hat, circular shades, and a cane.

He placed his hand in his pocket and pointed his cane at Starmie. "Raticate, Quick Attack!"

Raticate charged at his opponent with blinding speed, but the young trainer stood his ground. "Starmie, counter it with Double-Edge!"

Starmie charged at Raticate, spinning like a saw. The two collided and broke free of each other in a stalemate.

The gentleman pointed his cane at Starmie again. "Raticate, Hyper Fang!"

Raticate's teeth glistened and sharpened as it charged toward its prey. In one fell swoop, it chomped onto Starmie's jewel and shattered it. Starmie wobbled and then fell over. The green light over the gentleman lit up while the red light over the young trainer did the same.

The young trainer ran up to his Starmie and took it in his arms. "Starmie, are you okay? You fought well. Have a good long rest."

He recalled his pokémon and walked away, while the gentleman tweaked his mustache a bit and laughed. "Well now, if I'm not mistaken, I'm only one win away from winning that luxurious feast. Who would like to be my final victim? But I'm sure you've all realized by now that nothing can stop my Raticate."

All the female trainers in the crowd swooned over him as he suavely twirled his cane. He winked at the girls and three fainted.

Nami rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well, someone's certainly full of himself. Would love to take him on and shove that cane up his ass."

Mendy placed her hand on her shoulder. "Hold up! You know neither of us has a pokémon that can match that kind of speed. Let's just walk away from this, okay? There's plenty of food on the other tables."

Nami clicked her tongue. Sometimes she hated it when Mendy made sense. She dropped her shoulders and turned toward the exit. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go. Still, would've been nice to win that feast."

As they proceeded toward the exit, they heard the gentleman speak. "So, you're gonna challenge me, young man? What's your name?"

"I'm Ayden from Viridian City. Why don't you have a match with my Fearow?"

Both girls turned the moment they heard Ayden introduce himself. They looked around and wondered when he snuck past them and entered the battlefield. They fought their way back through the crowd and emerged in time to see Ayden call Fearow out. Fearow flew around the room proudly before landing in front of Ayden.

When both pokémon were present, the gentleman pointed his cane at Fearow. "Raticate, Hyper Fang!"

Raticate charged and jumped toward Fearow. The crowd grew wild as they've seen Raticate's Hyper Fang before and knew how powerful it was.

Ayden stood calmly as Raticate made its way toward Fearow. "Steel Wing!"

Fearow's wings hardened and turned into metal. It zoomed past Raticate before ascending into the air, leaving Raticate paralyzed to what just happened.

The gentleman and the crowd fell silent as Raticate simply stood there. Its teeth broke in half and its eyes widened as the pain finally reached it. It fell over on its side as Fearow took a victory lap around the room.

The green light over Ayden lit up while the red light over the gentleman did the same. Ayden had officially broken the gentleman's winning streak. The gentleman fell to his knees in shock as the audience fell silent and then erupted into a frenzy of cheers. They've never seen a pokémon strike its opponent so swiftly before.

Mendy threw her arm up and cheered. "Way to go, Fearow! You too, Ayden! That was awesome! Keep it up!"

Nami followed and pumped her fist into the air. "Come on, Fearow! You can do it! Just nine more victories!"

Mendy turned to Nami. "Well, this is a surprise. Never thought I'd see you cheer Ayden on for anything. What's with the sudden motivation?"

Nami grinned. "Oh please, I'm not cheering for him, I'm cheering for Fearow. He's doing all the work. And besides, if he keeps this up, then that free luxury dinner is all ours! Go Fearow!"

Mendy sighed in disappointment, but shrugged it off and went back to cheering.

* * *

Rose led Leberecht through the halls of the base until they came to a door. She entered her access code and the door slid open. They walked down a long staircase until they came to the training hall. Leberecht looked around to see several dozen Chaos Grunts training, exercising, and battling each other. Each one fiercer at their station than the last.

Rose crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "Lieutenant Leberecht, this will be your team."

Leberecht looked around and saw just how hard everyone trained so they could climb the ranks and get to better positions.

He grinned. "Are you kidding? They all look like a bunch of weak-ass peons. I'm better off doing this mission solo."

Rose turned to him. "Lieutenant Leberecht, this mission is too important to mess up just because of your self-inflated ego. You will have a team for this mission and you will bring back the fragment. Am I making myself clear?"

Leberecht straightened up and gave her a salute. "Yes, Captain Rose. Perfectly clear, ma'am."

Rose nodded. "Good, now get a move on. Your new team is about to be revealed."

As they made their way to the front of the room, the supervisor for the training area saw them and immediately signaled the room to stop their training and stand at attention. "Room! Ten-hut! Present arms!"

At the command, all the grunts popped to attention and saluted Rose and Leberecht. Rose saluted back and signaled for them to stand at ease.

She turned to the rest of the room and flipped back her hair. "All right, listen up! You have a new mission today! Taking the lead will be First Lieutenant Leberecht! You are to go and retrieve the next fragment of the Red Chain! Failure is not an option! Do I make myself clear?" The room replied with a unanimous 'yes, ma'am'. "If you run into the Carrier on this mission, do not engage! The fragment takes top priority! Do I make myself clear?" Again, the room replied with 'yes, ma'am'. Rose nodded and turned to Leberecht. "All right, the room is yours."

With that, she left and Leberecht turned to his new team and a wide smile formed on his face. "All right! Listen up, you weak-ass peons! You heard the captain! You're all my team now! So, gear up and let's go! We have a fragment to retrieve!"

* * *

The crowd cheered on as Ayden continued to dominate the competition. One trainer after another fell before Fearow as it took down pokémon with electric, ice, and rock type attributes.

Jin, after taking pictures of every square inch of the other rooms, made his way to where Mendy and Nami stood. Both girls held their breath as they gazed at the battles.

"Hey guys, what's going on?"

Mendy turned to Jin and her eyes widened in shock. "Oh, Jin, when did you get here? Anyway, we're watching Ayden right now. He's battling in a competition with a free luxurious dinner on the line."

Nami nodded. "Yeah, and he has to defeat ten opponents in a row without swapping. He's already taken down nine trainers so far. Just one more to go, but Fearow's looking a little winded."

Fearow gazed at his opponent and knew it wouldn't be much competition. He swooped down and struck it to the back wall, knocking it unconscious. The crowd's cheering escalated as the green light above Ayden lit up.

Nami and Mendy hugged each other in jubilation while Jin snapped a photo of Fearow landing beside Ayden. "Classic Ayden."

* * *

Jin, Mendy, and Nami sat at the dinner table and looked on in delight as the Kalos chefs brought out each plate of food. The aroma salivated their mouths and the moment they tasted it, tears flooded their eyes.

Ayden sat at the end of the table with Piik, slowly taking in each bite. Piik smiled as she watched Ayden partake in the feast. After all that he had gone through, it was a nice change of pace to see him enjoying something like this. She'd do anything to keep him happy like that.

She perked up when several female trainers came up to the table. They all squealed in delight at the thought of being so close to him. They asked if he could join them for dinner, for autographs, or even invited him up to their rooms. Their boisterous presence drew the attention of the rest of Ayden's friends.

Jin set down his glass as he watched the festivities. "Wow, who would've thought Ayden would get so popular from that tournament? Classic Ayden."

Nami yawned. "It seems like everything that guy does brings more popularity upon him. All he did was win one little tournament and everyone goes ballistic. What do you think, Mendy?" She turned to see Mendy gripping her fork so tightly it bent and snapped in half. She kept her head down and mumbled to herself. Nami stared at her with concern and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Uh, Mendy, you okay?"

Mendy couldn't take it anymore. She slammed her broken fork onto the table, stood up, and walked over to the Ayden. She stopped when she saw the same tall gentleman from before walk through the crowd and stand over Ayden.

He twirled his moustache and tapped his cane on the floor to draw his attention. "Why hello again, young man, how're you doing this evening? I see you're enjoying the feast." Ayden shrugged and took another bite of his food. The gentleman cleared his throat. "I just wanted to congratulate you on winning that tournament. You know, that Fearow of yours was truly something. I don't think I've ever seen one with such fighting spirit. So, how about you and I make a deal?"

At that, Ayden stopped chewing and relaxed his shoulders. He slowly turned to the gentleman with an iota of annoyance on his face. "What are you getting at?"

The gentleman smiled and leaned forward. "I'm talking about trading, son; your Fearow for my Raticate. When two trainers acknowledge to each other that they have strong pokémon, they trade. All good pokémon trainers use this practice to better their relationships with each other."

Ayden chuckled. "That's funny. I don't recall acknowledging you or your pokémon as strong."

The gentleman furrowed his brow and straightened up. "What did you say?"

Ayden stood up. "Do you honestly think I'd trade my Fearow for you poorly trained Raticate? Fearow was the first pokémon I ever caught and we've been through a lot together. We train every day because we both want to get better. As for you, I can tell there's no connection between you and your Raticate at all. You traded for that Raticate, didn't you?" The gentleman took a step back at that and all eyes soon turned on him. Ayden stood up and placed his hands in his pockets. "I bet you go around and trade for pokémon you think are strong. You don't even take the time to train them yourself. You're a disgrace."

The gentleman gripped his cane in frustration. "Why you little-, how dare you say such a thing to me?"

With that, he turned on his heel and forced his way out of the crowd. When he disappeared, the female trainers' admiration toward him grew. They nudged each other trying to get closer to him, but stopped when Mendy appeared and quickly pushed each girl out of the way.

She stood in between them and Ayden with her hands on her hips. "All right! Listen up! We're trying to have a nice quiet dinner! It's really difficult with all of you are making such a racket!"

One of the females stepped forward and flipped her bright auburn hair. "And just who are you supposed to be? We were trying to have a conversation over here. Why don't you run along back to the playground?"

Mendy stepped forward and got in her face. "What was that?"

The female trainer glared back at her. "You heard me!"

As they stared each other down, one of the other girls gasped. "Hey, he's gone."

As they all looked around for him Jin took another sip of his drink and grinned. It had come to the point he expected Ayden to disappear without a trace like a magician or an emo costume-wearing crime fighter.

He set his drink down and reached for his silverware. "Heh, priceless. Classic Ayden."

The girls dispersed and went off searching for him while Mendy held back and thought about where he might be.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Ayden stood staring over the railing of the St. Anne, absentmindedly fiddling with his locket, the one thing in the world he couldn't live without; the last memento from his family. He thought back to when his brother gave it to him and how happy he was. He never expected what came next and since then, he'd been reliving that same moment every time he fell asleep and had become afraid of the water. However, he couldn't think of a better opportunity to try and overcome that fear.

Piik stood on the railing watching him intently. She knew he wanted to do this, she just hoped he wasn't pushing himself too hard.

He closed his eyes and took in deep breaths as the waves splashed up against the side of the ship, slowly reminding him of the incident eight years ago. As the memory grew stronger, his fidgeting with the locket hastened. The tires screeched and the car swerved before it slammed into the guardrail, Ayden gripped his locket and clenched his teeth. The car toppled several times then crashed onto the surface of the water and Ayden perked up. He broke out into a sweat and gasped for air until he calmed back down.

Afterwards he relaxed his shoulders and lightly smiled. "Guess I can't do it after all. Doesn't look like I'll be getting over this any time soon, Piik."

Piik gazed at him with concern. Although she felt happy he tried to overcome his fear, she still didn't like him doing things like that to himself.

"Won't be able to get over what?" They both turned to see Mendy walk up and Ayden quickly tucked his locket back underneath his shirt. "Hey, I've been looking for you. So, what were you talking about? Trying to remember how many of those girls were crowding you?"

She giggled and smiled widely, but Ayden simply placed his hands in his pockets and walked away. "Come on, Piik, let's go."

At his command, Piik leapt from the railing onto his shoulders.

Mendy ran up and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, I was only joking. No need to be so serious."

Ayden turned toward her. "Can I help you with anything?"

Mendy shook her head. "No, I just wanted to see how you were doing. You took off in such a hurry back there, I figured something was on your mind."

Ayden continued toward the door. "Not really."

Mendy stood watching him walk away. She couldn't just let the conversation end like that. She had to say something. "So… uh… do you like staring at the ocean too?" Ayden froze and his eyes widened. Mendy smiled. She felt she brought up a topic they could both share. "Isn't it great? The beautiful ebb and flow of the waves, the light of the sun reflecting off the surface…,"

Ayden's breathing hastened as he clenched his teeth and gripped the railing. Images of the night resurfaced the more she spoke. He couldn't take it. He had to get the images out of his head.

Piik eyed him with worry and knew it had to be Mendy's fault. She had to shut her up for good so all of Ayden's worries would go away. She charged her cheeks, but Ayden motioned her to stop.

Mendy continued talking about the ocean, and her eyes sparkled with each word about the subject.

When she finished, she turned to Ayden. "So, what do you like about the ocean, Ayden?" She noticed him walk toward the door again. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, but he immediately slapped it away. She took a step back and when she saw his face, she nearly gasped. His breathing was short and raspy and he looked to be in a lot of pain. "Ayden, you o-?"

"Don't! Don't… worry about it. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine! What's wrong? Please, just tell me!"

She took a step toward him, but he moved away. He held his head as the pain intensified. All he could see were the memories of that night.

His head throbbed and his heartbeat wouldn't calm down. "Stop… just… leave me alone."

With that, he made his way toward the door and walked back inside the ship, leaving her stunned. She didn't know what to make of it. She'd never seen him like that before. She hugged her arms as a cool breeze swept through. She looked up and saw thick, dark clouds forming. A few raindrops landed on her motioning her to go back inside. When she went down the hallway, she didn't see any sign of Ayden. With the ship as large as it was, he could've gone anywhere by that point. She breathed a deep sigh of regret and went back to the dining room, hoping she'd find him eating dinner at the table again.

* * *

The helicopter sped through the night sky, but not fast enough for Leberecht's taste. His subordinates sat opposite of him, watching as he sat with his arms crossed and tapping his boot on the floor.

He clicked his tongue as his impatience got the better of him. "How much longer until we get there?"

One of them took out a watch. "We'll be there in a few minutes, sir!"

Leberecht smiled. Finally, he'll be able to let loose and do some damage.

Just as he finished that thought, the pilot spoke. "Sir, we've located the drop point."

Leberecht's smile widened. "Excellent, get ready to jump, boys! Things are about to get wild!"

* * *

Mendy returned to the dining hall and found both Nami and Jin sitting on the floor rubbing their stomachs. She glanced at the table and noticed nearly all of the food from the tournament had disappeared.

"I take it you two have been enjoying yourselves."

Nami burped and turned to Mendy. "It was frickin' delicious! I don't know if I can move for the rest of the night and at this point I couldn't care less!"

Jin nodded. "Oh I agree. I don't think there's a force powerful enough to get me to move right now."

Mendy shook her head. "Hey, have you guys seen Ayden walk by here?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Nope, haven't seen him since we all sat down for dinner. Why? Did something happen to him?"

Mendy shook her head. "Well, I think I said something that may have upset him. I wanted to see if I could apologize."

Nami shrugged as she took another bite of chicken. "Nope, he never even crossed my mind. I was far too busy with this delicious dinner. I wish there was some more left."

Mendy placed her hands on her hips. "You understand the only reason you got to enjoy this meal was because Ayden won that tournament, right? You could at least say 'thank you'!"

Nami looked at her and nodded. "Mendy, you're absolutely right. I should say 'thank you'. Next time he brings out Fearow, remind me, okay?"

Mendy dropped her shoulders. There was nothing she could possibly say to get those two off of food. "Well, when you're ready, roll yourselves into the bedrooms, okay? I'm turning in."

As she made her way out of the dining room, an explosion drew her and everyone else's attention. It toppled all the tables in the dining room, shattered the windows, and knocked everyone to the floor.

Nami sat up with a jolt. "What the hell was that?"

Jin staggered to get on his feet. "Don't know. Sounded like an explosion."

One by one, Team Chaos grunts, entered through the windows and filled the dining room.

One of them, a man with short scruffy black hair and sunglasses, raised a pokéball to the crowd of terrified trainers. "All right! Nobody move! We're taking over this vessel until our mission is complete! Do what we say and no harm will come to you!"

The other grunts raised their pokéballs too, leaving all the trainers in the room confused as to what was going on. Some even wondered if this was a show put on by the staff of the ship.

Jin stepped back as more of them climbed into the room. "Team Chaos again? What are they doing here?"

Nami popped her knuckles and grinned. "Don't know, but I just found the perfect way to burn off all these calories. What do you say, Mendy? Let's give 'em hell!"

Mendy looked around with worry. "Wait, where's Ayden?"

Nami clicked her tongue. "Who cares? We can't think about him right now. We've got an enemy to fight and I've got a lot of bones to pick with them."

Jin reached for a pokéball and nodded. "I'm afraid Nami's right, Mendy. We have to take care of these guys first. But don't worry. Ayden's a talented trainer. He can take care of himself. I'm sure he'll be just fine. Honestly, it's whoever he ends up facing I'd be worried about."

Mendy thought back to what happened outside and wondered if he really would be okay. She shook her head, clenched her fists, and reached for Squirtle's pokéball. Nami and Jin were right. She had to focus and take care of the problem at hand.

The Team Chaos grunts walked around and pushed all the other trainers together into a group.

When all the trainers were together, the scruffy-haired grunt gazed at them and smirked. "Now you all just stand and wait here for a while. We'll tell you when you're free to move."

When one of the grunts walked up to Nami and reached for her arm, she quickly flipped him over her shoulder and slammed him to the floor. "You better keep your hands off me, pal!"

When two other grunts rushed to help their fallen teammate, Jin threw a pokéball into the air. "Vulpix, I need your help! Use Quick Attack!"

Vulpix emerged and the moment she touched the floor, she immediately slammed into the oncoming grunts, knocking them into the wall.

The other grunts looked on in annoyance as Nami took a step forward. "Everyone, listen up! These people are known as Team Chaos! They're terrorists who use pokémon for their own purposes and they need to be taught a lesson! So, let's kick their asses off this ship!"

All the other trainers rallied behind Nami and called out their pokémon.

The scruffy-haired grunt clenched his teeth as the rest of the grunts rallied behind him. "All right! Call out your pokémon! We have to secure this area! Let's go!"

The grunts complied with the order and called out their pokémon as well. Soon the room became a battleground with both sides ready to give it everything they had.

* * *

Ayden ran against the oncoming people as they fled from the scene of the explosions. The ship rocked back and forth as he made his way down the hallways, making it difficult for him to keep his balance. He came to one of the rooms occupied by Team Chaos members and their pokémon herding trainers into a corner.

The grunts turned to him and grinned. One of them placed his hands in his pockets and walked up to him. He had a buzz cut and a hole in his earlobe large enough to fit a ring.

"Well, what do we have here? Another trainer who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sorry, kid, looks like you're gonna have to be part of our little party. Get in with the others and don't try anything cute!" He took a closer look at Ayden and gasped when he finally noticed. "Wait! Silver hair… a blue-cheeked Pikachu? You couldn't be! You're the-,"

Piik jumped from Ayden's shoulders and launched an electric attack at the grunt, knocking him to the ground.

Ayden looked up at the other trainers. "Everyone, call out your pokémon! These people are known as Team Chaos! We can't let them take over this ship! Who knows what these guys intend to do!"

The other trainers, though uncertain as to all that was going on, agreed and rallied behind him.

When they moved, the grunts ordered their pokémon to attack, but Ayden had already planned a counter for them. "Piik, give the other trainers some room! Use, Thunderbolt!"

Piik jumped into the air and launched her attack, striking down several of the charging pokémon. The grunts looked at their pokémon then back at the trainers who had theirs ready to attack. They turned around to see Ayden blocking their path.

He lightly smiled and crossed his arms. "Looks like the tables have turned. You've nowhere to run now."

The grunts got their pokémon ready and steeled themselves for a fight.

* * *

The St. Anne barely kept steady as the storm intensified. The wind and the waves pushed and rocked the ship as the staff scrambled around doing everything they could to keep the ship on course. Cuttingham stood and watched as the storm raged. He'd seen a thousand storms just like this, but somehow this one gave him an uneasy feeling.

"Do not falter! Keep this ship on course! Help those in need! We will not let these pirates do as they please!"

His crew saluted and went back to work. While watching his crew, Cuttingham felt something bump against his shoe. He looked down and saw a metal ball blink and beep rapidly. His eyes widened as the ball exploded, sending half the crew overboard. Cuttingham flew into the ship's railing and coughed up blood on impact. Blood trickled down the side of his face as he staggered to get up. He heard footsteps approach and looked up to see Leberecht and two Chaos grunts standing over him.

Leberecht smiled sadistically while the other two stood emotionless. "Hey, old man. I don't know what you're talking about, but we aren't pirates or anything lame like that. We're Team Chaos, the toughest group of terrorists you'll ever see. So how about showing some respect and quit calling us pirates?"

Cuttingham breathed heavily as the three stared him down. "What is it that you want? Money?"

Leberecht's smile quickly faded and he snapped his fingers. At his command, one of the two grunts knelt down and punched Cuttingham in the face. Cuttingham spat out blood and reeled from the blow.

Leberecht knelt down and adjusted Cuttingham's head so he would look directly at him. "I told you to stop comparing us to stupid, lame-ass pirates! We're Team Chaos! International terrorists! Get that straight, old man!"

Cuttingham gritted his teeth as he looked at Leberecht's face. "So, what is it that you want then?"

Leberecht's smile returned and he let go of Cuttingham's head. "You've got one hell of a ship here? Something like this has got to have an amazing energy source. How's it run? My friends and I would love to see how this bucket of bolts works."

Cuttingham blinked in confusion. "The energy source? But, why on earth would you want something like that?"

Leberecht scowled and snapped his fingers again. His subordinate knelt down and punched Cuttingham again.

"Look, I'll make this real easy for ya, pops. I'm a man of very little patience and a whole lot of power. So, unless you want to see your ship and everyone on it sink to the bottom of the sea, I'd suggest you do as we say and tell us what we want to know with no questions asked."

Cuttingham heaved in breaths as a trail of blood fell from his nose. He looked up at the trio and nodded. "Fine, I'll show you the power source, just please don't harm the passengers."

Leberecht grabbed him by the throat. "That all depends on you, pops. The longer you take, the more likely I'll start throwing people off this ship. So let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

The commands and attacks flew back and forth as Mendy, Nami, and Jin along with the other trainers in the dining room, fought off the Chaos grunts. The dining room became more unrecognizable with each attack damaging the room even further. Eventually, Mendy and the others pushed the grunts into a corner.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!"

Squirtle jumped into the air and launched its attack on the grunts, ramming them into the wall. They looked up to see the other trainers surround them and they raised their hands in surrender.

After tying up all the grunts, Mendy and Nami high-fived while the rest of the trainers cheered in victory.

Jin smiled and petted Vulpix. "You were amazing back there, Vulpix! I'm really proud of you!"

Vulpix smiled and nuzzled up against Jin in delight.

Nami walked up to one of the grunts and grabbed him by the shirt. "All right, you! Why did you guys attack this ship? Who're you working for and what are you after?"

The grunt smirked. "I'm not obliged to answer that, little girl. We of Team Chaos have nothing but the mission and we carried it out perfectly."

Nami clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. There didn't seem to be any reasoning with these people. They weren't going to give her the information she wanted.

Mendy thought about what the grunt said and her eyes widened. "Wait, are there more of you guys on this ship? Where are they now? Answer me!"

The grunt shrugged and chuckled. "Who knows? There could be, but then again, maybe there aren't."

Mendy furrowed her brow and clenched her teeth. "Come on, guys, we have to hurry! We have to find Ayden now!"

* * *

"Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik jumped into the air and launched her attack on several of the Team Chaos' pokémon, knocking them all down. Other trainers called on their pokémon to attack as well, driving the remaining grunts into a corner. After returning all of their pokémon, the grunts scowled and threw their hands up to surrender. The other trainers cheered and Ayden lightly smiled while Piik jumped onto his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, Ayden saw Cuttingham being led down the hallway by a few Chaos members. He had a bad feeling about it and followed them.

Cuttingham led Leberecht and his two subordinates down a series of stairs until they came toward a room at the end of a hallway. In the center of all the pipes, wires, and machinery, sat a small bright-red jewel shining majestically.

The two subordinates gazed in awe while Leberecht smiled uncontrollably. "That's it! That's what we've been searching for! There's no mistaking it!"

Cuttingham turned to the three. "There! I've shown you the power source for the ship! Now please leave at once! I wish for there to be no more senseless violence!"

Leberecht walked up to Cuttingham and punched him the stomach. Cuttingham gasped for air and fell to the floor. Leberecht snapped his fingers and his subordinates readied themselves with gloves and ran towards the jewel.

"Sorry, pops, but we'll be taking this lovely jewel of yours."

Cuttingham staggered as he looked up at Leberecht's grinning face. "Please, I beg of you. This ship is my life's work. It's my treasure. It's all I have left. That jewel keeps it running. It's the only fuel source that can keep this ship going! Please don't take it away!"

Leberecht kicked Cuttingham in the head, knocking him to the side wall. "Shut up already, pops! Enough of your damn whining! We're on a mission and I have every intention of completing it!"

Leberecht's subordinates walked up to him with a bag in their hands. "We've got it, sir! The second piece!"

Leberecht opened the bag and marveled at the piece of the Red Chain. They were one more step closer to reaching their goal. "Excellent work. Now, let's get back to the helicopter."

The three took off out of the room as Cuttingham lay on the floor bloodied in the face, fidgeting as he attempted to move.

Ayden ran down the hallway and saw Team Chaos running away. He made his way toward them when he noticed Cuttingham lying on the floor.

He ran toward him and lifted him up. "Hey, are you all right? Don't worry, I'll get you out of here! Come on let's go!"

Ayden tried standing him up, but Cuttingham refused his help.

He coughed into his hand and slowly took in breaths. "Thank you, young man, but you needn't worry about me. Please, go confront those people. Save the ship and everyone on it."

"Wait… what about you? I can't just leave you here!"

Cuttingham smiled and reached into the pocket of his coat. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'd very much appreciate to just remain here for now. Please, you have to hurry. You have to save this ship. Please get that jewel back."

Ayden nodded and stood up. "All right. I'll get that jewel back, but you have to promise me you'll get out of here. We're all going to get off this ship."

With that, he sprinted out of the room. As soon as he left, Cuttingham pulled out a photo a young beautiful woman with honey-colored hair that cascaded down to her ankles and piercing green eyes. She wore a light yellow sundress, a straw hat, and a necklace. He leaned against the wall as he placed the photo up to his heart, and smiled as he thought back to his younger days.

He could clearly see the woman in the photo dancing happily in a field of flowers, twirling around and laughing without a care in the world. She turned to him, smiled, and ran into his arms and embraced him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sparkling necklace with a large ruby jewel in the center. She gasped when she saw the necklace. She looked up at him and said, 'I love you' before kissing him.

Cuttingham tightened his grip on the photo as a tear fell down his cheek.

* * *

Leberecht and his team made their way through the storm toward their helicopter as it slowly descended for them. His subordinates cleared the way for him to reach the rope ladder, and as he made his way up, a bolt of electricity struck through, cutting the ladder in half. Leberecht looked back to see Ayden and Piik ready to confront them.

Lightning flashed revealing Leberecht's sadistic smile. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. He wanted this more than anything. Obtaining pieces of the Red Chain never caught his interest anyway. He only wanted to fight.

"Well look here, boys. The Carrier has graced us with his presence, but where are our manners? We didn't roll out the red carpet for him. You two go on ahead. I'll take care of this one."

He shoved the bag into his subordinate's hands and walked toward Ayden.

The subordinate popped to attention and rendered a salute. "Sir!"

With that, the two jumped into the helicopter and it ascended into the air.

Ayden clenched his teeth as he watched them make their getaway. "You're not going anywhere! Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik jumped off his shoulder and launched her attack at the helicopter, while Leberecht instantaneously threw a pokéball into the air. It popped open and revealed a large, bulky, badger-like pokémon, with a short snout and sharp teeth. The back of its neck held red spots that quickly produced flames as soon as it landed on the ship.

Leberecht grinned. "Typhlosion, Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion launched its attack and blocked Piik's assault on the helicopter. Ayden clicked his tongue as the helicopter flew away from the ship.

Leberecht chuckled and turned to face Ayden. "That was pretty close, kid. Just a little bit too slow though."

The two trainers stood facing each other, neither fazed by the pelting rain or the flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. Piik stood at the ready charging her cheeks while Typhlosion flared the fire on its back.

Leberecht grinned. This couldn't have been more perfect. This was all he ever wanted; a one-on-one battle against the Carrier.

His grin widened as the thought swam through his mind. "I'm gonna enjoy beating you down, kid. Then, I'll take you back to headquarters where you and that Pikachu belong."

Ayden furrowed his brow. "Piik and I aren't going anywhere. We're going beat the answers to all our questions out of you."

Leberecht chuckled before throwing his head back in a burst of laughter. "I'd love to see you try it, Carrier! Typhlosion, Flamethrower!" Typhlosion reared back and launched a stream of flames at Piik.

"Piik, Agility!" Without hesitation, Piik zipped around the oncoming flames with ease. "Now, switch to Quick Attack!" She gained momentum and launched herself at Typhlosion, landing a solid blow to its head.

Leberecht relaxed his shoulders and smiled. "Typhlosion, Double-Edge!" Typhlosion readied its body and rammed into Piik, sending her flying into the ship's railing, denting the metal.

Ayden turned around in shock. "Piik! Are you okay?"

Piik got up and shook off the attack. She growled and bared her fangs as she readied herself for the next round. Typhlosion did the same and got on all fours.

Leberecht clapped. "I'm impressed that Pikachu was able to shake my attack off like that. Let's see how it handles this. Typhlosion, Flamethrower!"

Ayden clenched his fists. "Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and launched her attack. The flames and the electricity collided in an intense burst of energy that exploded on contact. The smoke blanketed the ship's surface, leaving both Ayden and Piik wondering where the enemy could be. Before Ayden could think of a plan, Typhlosion emerged from the smoke and closed in on Piik.

"Typhlosion, Shadow Claw!"

A ghostly claw emerged from Typhlosion's paw. It swung and slashed Piik across the stomach, launching her into the air.

Ayden furrowed his brow. He had to take the opportunity to do some damage. "Piik, Thunder!"

She straightened up and drew in electricity from the clouds. When she stored enough, she launched her attack on Typhlosion. Typhlosion howled as the electricity rained down on him. It reeled from the attack and glared at Piik as she landed perfectly back on the ship.

Both pokémon breathed heavily, staring each other down while waiting for their trainers to give the next order. Neither one of them wanted to give in to the other.

Leberecht clicked his tongue. How long had it been since anyone managed to cause so much damage to his Typhlosion? He knew what he would be getting into though. He knew the Carrier wouldn't be an average opponent. No, the Carrier was the kind of opponent he'd been looking for. No one else could offer him a challenge like this. Now that he had it, he had to defeat him. He had to crush him with everything he had. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to move forward. No other kind of victory would sate him.

"Typhlosion! Let's end this! Inferno!"

Typhlosion's eyes turned an intense red and its howl echoed into the distance. The floor beneath Piik warmed up until flames danced around her paws. The flames then engulfed her in a tornado of fire burning her from the inside out.

Ayden's eyes widened as the flames intensified. He ran up to her hoping to pull her out of the flames, but Typhlosion appeared and struck him in his stomach, launching him to the back railing. He reeled from the blow and looked up to see Typhlosion glare down at him.

Leberecht smiled widely and waved his finger back and forth. "Sorry, but that's not allowed. You shouldn't interfere in the match like that, Carrier. Look just face it, I've won and I'm about to take both you and your Pikachu back with me. So, quit resisting and let's get going."

Piik perked up at his words. The thought of being put back in the lab of Team Chaos forced her memories of that place to resurface. It scared her out of her mind. She couldn't go back there. She wouldn't be able to take it. She had to get away from that lab at all costs. She didn't care how, she just had to get this guy away from her.

A pulse resonated throughout her body. It passed through her violently and she curled into a ball trying to hold in the pain. It soon overtook her and her eyes widened and her mind blanked. She looked around and saw nothing but darkness. She blinked in confusion until she heard deep slow breathing behind her. She slowly turned around to see a large silhouette leer down at her. She backed up in shock and fear as it reached its claw out and snatched her up. As she struggled against its grip, a dark aura emanated from the creature and slowly filtered into her. Soon, her eyes turned from green to blood red.

Leberecht walked up to Ayden as Typhlosion had him pinned against the ship. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be over soon. Just accept your loss and everything will-,"

He paused as Piik's cries turned into roars of rage, echoing through the distance. Black electricity sparked and erupted from her, dissipating the flames from Typhlosion's Inferno.

Leberecht's eyes widened as he gazed at Piik. No one could break out of Typhlosion's Inferno like that and come out without a burn. He looked closer and saw her entire demeanor had changed. Her eyes now a crimson red and the brown fur on her back and tail turned blue like her cheeks. He didn't know what happened, but if that Pikachu wanted to continue the fight, why not?

"Typhlosion, let's end this battle now! Looks like our little friend is back and ready for more!"

Typhlosion snarled and applied more pressure on Ayden. That move alone drove Piik's anger passed the breaking point. She crouched down and readied her attack.

Leberecht smiled and laughed. "Oh, you want to try and save the Carrier? Well, by all means, feel free to-,"

Piik zipped past him and slammed into Typhlosion's gut. Typhlosion's eyes widened as if a cannon ball had struck it. The force of her attack knocked it off Ayden and he gasped for air. He looked up and his eyes widened in horror as Piik stood with black electricity encircling her. Just like in Vermilion Gym, she had completely lost control of herself.

"Piik, wait! Don't do this!"

He tried to get up, but Typhlosion had done more damage to his body than he'd thought.

Leberecht clenched his teeth in frustration. He'd never seen speeds like that before. Not even his Typhlosion could move like that. It had to be just a coincidence. There's no way that little rat could be faster than his Typhlosion.

"Typhlosion! Come on! Get up and use Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion stood back up and launched the attack. Piik eyed the incoming flames and countered with an electric attack. The lightning cut through the flames and hit Typhlosion with ease. Typhlosion roared in pain as the electricity caused more damage than before.

Leberecht couldn't believe it. How could it have gotten so much stronger? "Typhlosion, Quick Attack!"

Typhlosion crouched down, but before it attacked, Piik slammed into its stomach again, dropping it to the floor. Piik took the opportunity to launch another electric attack. She charged her cheeks until the black sparks enveloped her body. She compressed them and then fired at Typhlosion and Leberecht. Her attack moved at such force and speed, the windows shattered and the wooden flooring split in half as the attack connected, knocking them both into the water.

When the attack subsided, Piik stood heaving as she could no longer see the enemy anymore. Her eyes returned to green, her electricity turned back to yellow, and her fur turned back to brown. When all the energy had left her, she fell forward.

Ayden slowly stood up and rushed over to gather her in his arms. "Piik, are you okay? Say something!"

Piik lay limp in his arms, breathing deeply as she fell asleep. Ayden sighed in relief as he gave her a hug, thinking things could've gotten a lot worse. Just as he settled down, explosions erupted around the ship, shooting up chunks of wood and spreading fire.

Ayden ran down the hallways until he found the room he left Cuttingham in. He had been sitting in the same spot since he left to fight Team Chaos, gazing at a photograph. The floor had already been submerged by inches of water, but Cuttingham continued to sit there studying the photograph as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Ayden ran up to him and placed his arm around his shoulder. "Come on! We've gotta go!" He tried lifting him up, but Cuttingham wouldn't budge. "What're you doing? This ship is about to sink! We've gotta get out of here!"

Cuttingham shook his head. "No, please, young man, just leave me be. I can't abandon this ship. This was everything to us. Our dream was imbedded in every plank of wood and driven nail. We said it would be the ship to travel every ocean in the world. I wanted to realize our dream for the both of us. Now look at it, the unsinkable ship is barely staying above the surface. I was a fool to think I could still carry on that dream."

"You can't give up now!" Cuttingham turned to him in shock. "You've come this far just to quit? Over a little set back? If you've got a dream then you've got to keep it alive no matter what it takes! You have to keep going until you achieve it! What would your wife think if you met her on the other side and told her you quit on your dream? How do you think she'd feel?"

Cuttingham's heart sank at his words. They made him realize how selfish he'd been. How could he forget her feelings in all this?

He turned to Ayden and smiled. "Young man, what's your name?"

Ayden paused for a moment. "Ayden."

Cuttingham smiled. "Ayden… thank you."

* * *

The ship, robbed of its power source and damaged inside and out, swayed back and forth against the rough current as the weather worsened. Hundreds of people crowded the exits waiting for their turn to gain entry into a lifeboat.

The ship's staff tried to handle the crowd as best they could. One employee held up a bullhorn while the rest of the staff worked the crowd. She had dark red hair in a ponytail and looked nervous trying to get the crowd's attention.

"Everyone! Please remain calm! We will be able to help you all get to safety! Please just remain calm!"

The crowd paid her little notice as each passenger tried to scramble over each other to get to the next available lifeboat.

Mendy, Jin, and Nami arrived and saw the pandemonium escalate. The three looked around but couldn't find Ayden or Piik.

Nami wiped her brow and placed her hands on her knees. "This is ridiculous! We've been up and down the ship! Where the hell is he?"

Jin straightened up and wiped the sweat off his chin. "He has to be here somewhere. Just wish we could get a sign or something."

Mendy continued to look around, hoping to see him standing off in the corner somewhere minding his own business, but couldn't spot him at all.

She thought back to what she said to him earlier and she fell to her knees in anger. "Damn it! If I hadn't said those things to him back then, he wouldn't have gone off on his own! Then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Jin walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Mendy, you can't blame yourself. Look we'll find him, okay? He's a tough trainer. He knows what he's doing."

Mendy looked up at Jin and nodded. She wiped the sweat from her brow and straightened up. She noticed Cuttingham walk into the room with Ayden beside him. She teared up as a wave of relief surged through her.

She threw her hands into the air to get his attention. "Ayden! Over here! Over here!"

Jin and Nami noticed him too and followed Mendy's example. Ayden saw them and walked up to them.

Jin greeted him with a smile and a headlock. "Hey, man! I knew you'd be just fine! Glad you made it back safely! You had us worried there for a bit!"

Nami walked up and crossed her arms while Mendy went up to him. "Ayden! Glad you're okay! What happened to Piik?"

Ayden told them about his run-in with Leberecht and their eyes widened.

Mendy placed her hands over her mouth. "My God! She went through that again? The poor thing."

Jin tapped Ayden on the shoulder. "Here, let me see her. I have some medicine that might help her out."

Ayden nodded and handed Piik to him. "Thanks, Jin."

Cuttingham walked to the center of the room, stood up in front of the raging crowd of passengers and spoke into the megaphone. "Everyone! We will be able to get you all into the lifeboats, but we need you all to stay calm and approach in a nice orderly fashion! Your safety is our number one priority and we will make sure all of you get off this ship safely!"

Ayden and the others integrated into the rest of the crowd and patiently awaited their turn for the lifeboats while the crowd pushed and shoved them along. The storm's rage grew as the waves knocked the ship from side to side. A passenger pushed Ayden back and he lost his footing and fell to the floor, snapping the chain around his neck. Ayden's eyes widened in horror as he watched his locket slide across the floor and down the hallway.

He quickly got up and chased after it. "Wait! Come back! Get back here!"

Mendy saw him and ran after him. "Ayden, wait! What's wrong? Where're you going?"

Nami and Jin tried to go after them, but the crowd pushed them along preventing them from escaping. "Mendy! Wait! Let us through! We have to get through! Dammit! Mendy!"

Ayden desperately chased after the locket as the tilted ship made it slide faster down the hallways. He had to catch up to it. He had to get it back. He couldn't afford to lose that locket.

Mendy ran as fast as she could to catch up to Ayden, but he kept getting farther ahead of her. "Ayden, slow down! What's wrong? We have to get back to the lifeboats! Ayden!"

Nami and Jin had been pushed to the front of the crowd and forced into one of the lifeboats along with a few dozen other passengers. They tried pleading with the staff to let them back in to get their friends, but the staff moved on as if they never heard them and forced them to sit down as they got more people onto the lifeboats.

Nami and Jin looked on as the ship slowly sank. They just hoped Ayden and Mendy would get back into the crowd of people and make it to the lifeboats.

Ayden continued to chase the locket and found it had stopped just short of giant hole. He went up to it as quickly as he could, but the ship rocked again knocking the locket into the hole. He didn't care where it went, he had to get that locket back no matter what. Without hesitation, he jumped into the hole and continued his search.

Mendy caught up to him and jumped down the hole too.

She looked around and saw Ayden on his hands and knees. "Ayden, what's wrong? Why did you just take off like that? Come on! We have to go!"

Ayden ignored her and continued his search. All he could think about was getting his locket back. Nothing else mattered. He noticed a gleam and immediately went up to it. He snatched it up and sighed in relief as he held his locket in his hands.

The storm raged and rocked the ship, sending Ayden and Mendy flying head first into the wall of the room.

Nami and Jin watched as the last of the ship sank below the surface of the water. They searched, but couldn't find Mendy or Ayden.

Nami cupped her hands around her mouth and took a deep breath. "Mendy! Mendy! Answer me! Are you out here? Say something! Mendy!"

Jin held Piik close and did the same. "Ayden! Mendy! Are you two okay? Ayden! Mendy!"

The storm drowned out their voices, but they hoped either one would hear them. Neither received any results and they looked at each other in dismay as the realization hit them.

Nami's eyes widened as fear took over her. This couldn't be happening. Mendy couldn't possibly be still on the ship, right? The thought swam through her mind until she couldn't take it anymore. She had to get her out of there. She stood up, causing the lifeboat to wobble even more. The other passengers yelled at her and held her down before they all capsized into the sea. She fought them off as hard as she could, but they eventually forced her back into the lifeboat.

Jin looked up at her while trying to keep the boat steady as the waves and rain drenched them. "Nami! What do you think you're doing?"

"What the hell do you think? We have to go down there and get them out! We have to save them!"

She tried to stand back up, but Jin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you crazy? You'll never be able to swim through this kind of storm! You'll die before you even reach the ship! I know exactly how you feel, but there's nothing we can do at this point!"

A wave splashed through, hitting Nami in the face. She clenched her fists and teared up. She jerked her shoulder out of his grip and screamed into the distance out of frustration.

* * *

Beneath the surface, Leberecht swam through the storm with his equipment from Team Chaos. He came to the middle of the ocean, miles away from where the lifeboats had been prepped. He pressed a button on his wrist and looked up. Not much later, a helicopter appeared and lowered a rope ladder for him. He grasped the ladder and climbed up. The moment he sat down, his subordinates immediately took to his needs.

He turned to his subordinates as they tended to him. "Where's the stone?"

One of the subordinates produced the bag and showed him. "Here it is, sir."

Leberecht nodded and leaned back in his seat. "Good, set a course back to headquarters. Our mission is complete."

His subordinates saluted and went to work. Leberecht looked at the floor and clenched his hands as he thought back to his fight with Ayden. The way his Pikachu moved and harnessed its powers, he'd never seen anything like it. It frustrated him to think that little punk could possess power far beyond his own. Obviously, he had no control over his Pikachu, but that didn't matter. They had to move quickly.

"If the Carrier ever masters the power in that Pikachu, our whole organization will be in deep trouble. I have to report this to the higher-ups and fast."

The helicopter made its way through the storm back to base.

* * *

Below the water's surface, the remainder of the St. Anne sank into the ocean's murky depths as Ayden and Mendy lay unconscious on the floor.

* * *

 **Thank you again for taking the time to read my chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. As always, let me know what you think of the story so far. Also, I'll be going on a bit of a hiatus. There's a lot that's going to happen in the next month and I won't be able to work on the story during that time as often as I'd like. So, I ask for your patience and to please check back around the end of April for chapter 15 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls. Thank you all again!**


	15. Escape! Hell Underwater

**Good evening, everyone! Welcome to chapter 15 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 15**

The base stood at attention as Leberecht came back to give his report. He popped to attention and detailed the events of the St. Anne and how he had to fight the Carrier in order for his men to get away with the fragment intact. He snapped his fingers, and one of the grunts produced the Red Chain fragment for him.

He held it up and presented it to Rose. "Here you are, Captain."

Rose gazed at the crimson fragment and took it from Leberecht. "Excellent work, Lieutenant. Were you able to keep track of where the Carrier went?"

Leberecht shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I lost track of him when I got knocked overboard. I couldn't tell you where he is right now. But, I'll do whatever it takes to locate him for you."

Rose simply stood with her back to the lieutenant. "No matter, Lieutenant. That'll be all. You may return to your base. I'll update your superiors on all that's happened and your contributions to the retrieval of the fragment."

Leberecht felt slightly taken aback, but he nonetheless decided to leave it alone and gave a salute. "Yes, Captain!"

He gave an about-face and left the room. Rose tightened her grip on the fragment and gritted her teeth. How could he have lost track of the Carrier? What good is the Red Chain if the Carrier isn't there? She walked back to her office and closed the door behind her. As she leaned on it, her phone rang and her face turned sour when she saw the caller ID.

She picked up the phone and answered. "This is Captain Rose."

The voice on the other end replied with a high-pitched squeal. "Hi, Rosey! How're you? It's been so long since we last spoke to each other. I wanted to see how you were doing?"

Rose knew that was the last thing she ever wanted to do. "What the hell do you want?"

The woman on the other end laughed. "Ooh, how scary? Did something happen on your last mission for the Red Chain fragments, Rosey?"

Rose clicked her tongue. "Get to the point!"

The woman on the other end scoffed. "Oh, poor little Rosey. As much as I'd like to stay on the line and mess with you, I have to get ready myself. We're being summoned by Lieutenant Colonel Albrecht. The thirteen Captains are going to be reunited again! Isn't that just thrilling? Meeting is tomorrow at the usual spot. Be sure to be there, Rosey. I'm sure you have a lot of juicy details to share! See you there!"

She hung up and Rose slammed the phone down. Of all the people to call her at that particular moment, it had to be her.

* * *

Ayden sat in the back seat of the car grinning widely as his brother rustled his jet-black hair. He couldn't believe it. He was actually going to see the finals of the Pokémon League Tournament at Indigo Stadium.

His brother reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small box. "Here, Ayden, before we get to the stadium, this last little gift is from all of us. Make sure you don't lose it."

Eager, Ayden snatched the box from his brother's hand and tore off the wrappings. Inside sat a gold locket with a chain. He picked it up and looked at it disappointingly.

His brother grinned. "Well? What do you think?"

Ayden puffed up his cheeks. "It's kinda boring."

His brother laughed. "Well, someday I know you'll see the true value of that locket, Ayden." He took the locket and latched it around Ayden's neck. "This is something very special. Don't ever forget that."

The car then swerved violently. Car horns honked and tires screeched as the two vehicles avoided a collision. The car Ayden was in smashed into the guardrail and flipped over several times into the lake below. When the car hit the surface, the interior instantly filled with water. Ayden tried getting his seatbelt off, but in his panic, that became an impossible task. His brother reached over and took him by the shoulders and shook him. Ayden looked at him as he continued to say his name over and over again.

* * *

Mendy sat over Ayden trying her best to wake him up.

She held him by the shoulders and shook him as hard as she could. "Ayden! Ayden! Come on Ayden, wake up!" Ayden stirred and slowly opened his eyes to Mendy's relieved face. "Hey, finally decided to wake up, huh?"

He groggily looked around until he remembered his locket. He sprang up and found it tightly gripped in his hand. Before he could relax, a sharp pain jolted his head.

Mendy put her hands on his shoulders. "Hey, try to take it easy. You hit your head pretty hard."

Ayden took in slow deep breaths as Mendy helped him rest up against the wall. "How long was I out?"

Mendy shook her head. "I don't know. I woke up not too long ago myself. I couldn't even tell you how long we've been out. Looks like we've sunk to the bottom of the sea."

Her words widened Ayden's eyes in fear. He looked around at all the windows and his body shook when he saw fish swimming by. It actually happened. His worst nightmare had become reality. Surrounded by water with nowhere to go, his breathing hastened and sweat fell down his face. He'd hoped this was just another dream and he would wake up soon.

Mendy looked back at him and rushed to his side. "Ayden? Ayden! What's wrong?"

She touched his shoulder and he screamed as visions from his nightmare surfaced. The memory of being engulfed by the water and struggling to breathe overtook his senses and he found himself trapped inside the car all over again. He fell to his side, held his throat with both hands and gasped for air until his breathing turned into short inhales.

Mendy stared at him with widened terrified eyes. She'd never seen Ayden act like this. She didn't know what to do. His breathing became shallower and she did the first thing that came to her.

She pulled him close and hugged him tightly. "Ayden! Ayden! It's okay, I'm right here! You're okay, Ayden! Nothing is going to happen to you! You'll be fine! Just try to calm down, Ayden! Look at me! Just look at me, Ayden! I'm right here! Everything's going to be all right!"

Her voice finally broke through and Ayden's eyes shot wide open. The images of the murky depths of the lake and the flooded car interior soon dispersed and Ayden found himself staring at Mendy's worried expression. His breathing slowly deepened and he calmed down, resting his head against her.

"Ayden? You okay?"

Ayden took in slow breaths until he could reply back to her. "Yeah… I'm okay."

Mendy smiled and softly held him closer. "Thank God. I'm so glad. You scared me half to death."

Ayden sat quietly in her embrace and recalled the last few minutes. To think he'd break down and let his nightmares take over his thoughts. If Mendy hadn't been there, he would've died.

"Thank you."

Mendy looked down at him and wondered if she heard him right. He actually said 'thank you'. She couldn't believe it. She then realized the position they were in and her face soon turned red.

She quickly let him go, stood up, and laughed nervously. "Hey, no worries! I just did what anyone would've done, right? But, are you sure you're okay? Can you stand?" He nodded and took her hand. Once he was back on his feet, she smiled and looked around. "All right. Now, all we have to do is figure a way out of here. Even though we're at the bottom of the sea, as long as there's air here, it'll take some time to fill up. So, let's take a look around and see where we are."

Ayden followed her out of the room and they walked until they came to a hallway with a staircase. The area had been flooded, causing Ayden to freeze. He closed his eyes and tried to keep calm.

Mendy took notice of Ayden and calmly placed her hand on his shoulders. "Hey, don't worry, it'll be okay. I'm here with you. We'll get out of this, trust me." Ayden looked at her and she returned with a smile. "Now, normally, if we wanted to get out, we'd go up. However, since we capsized, the ship's deck is below us and the bottom is above our heads. So, diving down to the deck is our best option."

Ayden crossed his arms and thought for a moment. "True, but if we dive down to the deck and come across a dead end, then that'll be the end for us. And I'm sure you've already guessed I'm not the swimming type."

Mendy smiled and pulled out a pokéball. "Way ahead of ya. Go Squirtle!"

Squirtle popped out of his pokéball and smiled widely when he saw Ayden. If he was here, then that meant his beloved electric angel was close by. He looked around frantically for her, but couldn't find her anywhere.

Mendy knelt down to Squirtle's level. "Squirtle, we're stuck on this ship and it's completely underwater. I need you to go and find an escape route for us. When you do, bring us back something from outside."

Squirtle heard the order, but felt too depressed about not being able to see Piik to comply with it.

Mendy tapped him on the head and whispered into his ear. "By the way, Piik is waiting for Ayden back on the surface. I can only imagine how happy and grateful she'd be to you if you helped reunite her with him."

Squirtle's eyes lit up. He could imagine Piik happily fawning over him and showering him with kisses and hugs. The very thought made him drool with anticipation and his enthusiasm shot through the roof. He gave Mendy a salute and dove into the water.

Mendy shook her head and giggled. "He's so simple."

* * *

The storm continued to rage into the morning hours as the last of the lifeboats made it to shore and the police, led by Officer Jenny, worked as hard as they could to help everyone with their needs. Jenny, wearing her usual blue uniform along with a rain jacket, guided her squads as they helped lead the survivors into the shelter near the Vermilion City port.

Jenny stood and endured against the high winds and heavy rain as she directed the crowd of survivors with a bullhorn. "Everyone, please remain calm! We'll be able to tend to everyone as soon as possible! We ask for your patience as we get everything straightened out! Please head straight for the shelter! We have medical teams ready to help anyone in need as well as the Pokémon Center to help with any injured pokémon!"

Inside the shelter, the passengers of the St. Anne were all given blankets as they waited for their turn with the medical team. After tending to the children and elderly first, the medical teams eventually made their way to where Jin and Nami sat. Jin sat against the wall holding Piik his arms while Nami sat turned away from him, clutching her blanket and wearing a disgruntled look.

Jin gave Piik to one of the many Chansey helping Nurse Joy and then proceeded with getting a checkup with the medical team. Nami sat deep in thought about what just happened. In the blink of an eye, she was separated from her best friend who, for all she knew, was lying unconscious at the bottom of the sea. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to find her and bring her back.

The medical team finished examining Jin and moved over to Nami.

One of the doctors, crouched down and extended his hand to her. "Hello, miss, if you have any pokémon that need to be treated, please hand them to Chansey here and she'll make sure they're taking care of by Nurse Joy." Nami simply sat in silence. "Now then, are you hurting anywhere or feel any discomfort at all?"

Nami gritted her teeth, jumped to her feet, and bolted for the exit. She couldn't just sit around doing nothing while Mendy was still trapped on the boat. She had to go rescue her.

Jin took notice, but was too late to stop her. "Nami! Where are you going?"

Nami ran as fast as she could hoping to get to the water and swim toward the boat. However, her plans were dashed when officers positioned at the entrance of the shelter, stopped her. She tried pushing past them, but they easily held her back.

"What do think you're doing, miss? Please, you have to stay in the shelter! It's too dangerous outside with the storm the way it is!"

Nami struggled to get by, but the policeman kept her from advancing. "Let me go! My friend is still in the boat! You have to let me go!"

The police continued to hold her back. "I'm afraid we can't do that, miss. We'll be sending a team to investigate the ship as soon as the storm dies down. If your friend is still there, we'll be able to get them back here safely. But for now, we need you to remain calm and let us handle this."

Jin ran up to Nami and the policeman. "Nami! Nami, what's going on? Why'd you take off like that?"

The policeman looked at Jin. "Is she with you, kid?"

Jin nodded. "Yeah, what's going on?"

The policeman turned Nami around and held her by the shoulders. "Your friend here says she wants to go out into the ocean to look for her friend. She claims this friend of hers is still on the boat. Do you know of this?"

Jin nodded again. "Yes, sir. Two of our friends are still on the boat actually. We got separated just before we got onto the lifeboats. If there is anything we can do to help, please just tell us!"

The policeman shook his head. "For now, just leave everything to us. Now, go and get treated. You never know what kind of injuries you may have gotten from that attack. If your friends are still in the boat, we'll be sure to find them once the storm has died down. But, until then, it's too dangerous for anyone to be out there."

Jin and Nami slowly walked back to their spot. Feeling defeated, Nami gritted her teeth and clutched her blanket tighter.

As if he could sense her irritation, Jin placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know, Nami. I hope they're okay too. For now, we just have to believe they are. Come on, let's go back and make sure everything is okay with you. We'll find them no matter what. We just have to be patient a little while longer."

Nami nodded and they continued back to their spot. Even though she knew she should be worried about both of them, she couldn't help but think only of Mendy. Not knowing if she was okay or not drove her insane. She had to know. She had to make sure she was okay.

* * *

Ayden leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and watched Mendy pace back and forth as they both waited on Squirtle to return.

Her worry eventually got to her and she bit her fingernail. "I wonder what could be taking Squirtle so long. He should've been back by now." Her attention turned to the water's surface as Squirtle soon emerged. As soon as his head popped out, she ran up to him. "Well, how'd it go? Did you find a way out?" Squirtle looked at her and shook his head. Mendy dropped her shoulders and petted him. "Don't worry about it. You did the best you could. Here, have a nice rest."

Ayden walked up to her. "No luck?"

Mendy shook her head. "No, unfortunately Squirtle couldn't find a route for us to take. Looks like we'll have to go to plan B."

Ayden raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

Mendy looked up at the inverted staircase and nodded. "Yeah, this should work. Since the way to the deck is blocked, we'll have to climb up to the bottom of the ship. From there, we can cut a hole in the hull and escape. However, in order for it to work, we'll need something that can sear through the metal."

Ayden pulled a pokéball out. "In that case, I've got it covered with Charmander."

Mendy's eyes widened. "Wait, when did you catch a Charmander?"

Ayden placed Charmander's pokéball back on his belt. "We can talk about that later, but for now, let's just focus on getting off this ship."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, you're right, let's go. First, we need to get up to that entrance."

Ayden reached for another pokéball and threw it. "Heracross! We need your help!" Heracross emerged with a smile on his face. "Heracross, we need you to carry us to that entrance up there. Can you help us?"

Heracross nodded and picked Mendy up by the waist and flew her up to the entrance. When she was safely on the floor, Heracross went back and got Ayden.

When Ayden made it to the staircase, he patted Heracross on the head and returned him to his pokéball.

Mendy looked around and nodded. "All right, now we should be in the hallway that leads to the engine room. Past there, there should be a hallway. That's where the hull will be the thinnest. With a little luck, we should be able to cut through and escape."

The lights flickered until they blew out leaving the hallway in complete darkness. Ayden reached for a pokéball and opened it. Charmander appeared and with the light at the end of his tail, guided them down the hallway.

They walked in silence as Mendy studied the hallway to figure out their exact location. As she continued, Ayden couldn't help but notice how much she stepped up in this situation. She kept calm and showed a different side to herself. He had to admit, it was impressive.

"So, how do you know so much about this ship?"

Mendy shifted her gaze to him. This was unusual. He never initiated a conversation before. For some reason, the thought of him asking her made her smile. "When I was younger, Mr. Owen and I made a model replica of the St. Anne together. It was so much fun working on it with him. He taught me all the different parts about the ship and somehow it just stuck."

Ayden lightly smiled. "You must've really enjoyed your times with him, huh?"

Mendy's smile widened. "Yeah, I did. He was always there for me. He listened to me, taught me things, and it was so easy to talk to him about anything. He was just… the best." She giggled as all the happy memories of growing up under his care came back to her. "And one time, he took me and Nami to see the Water Pokémon Show. It was amazing watching the actors swim so elegantly along with their pokémon. After watching it, I decided I wanted to be a water pokémon trainer too. Mr. Owen is waiting for me and I can't wait to see him. How about you? Your family's waiting for you too, right?"

At that, Ayden's smile faded. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looked at the floor. "Yeah… they are."

Mendy reached over and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Then, all the more reason for you to get out of here alive. You want to see them as soon as possible, right?"

Ayden continued to look at the floor. "Yeah… I'll be seeing them soon."

Mendy giggled. "All right then! Let's get out of here! We've got people waiting for us! Let's go!"

With that, she marched down the hallway with pep and a huge smile while Ayden stood watching her. She had a point, Mr. Owen was waiting for her. At the very least, he had to make certain she made it out alive.

As Mendy strutted down the hallway, she heard another pair of footsteps up ahead. She stopped and looked back at Ayden who hadn't moved from his spot.

She ushered him toward her and whispered. "Ayden, I think someone else is here with us. Listen."

They both listened closely as the footsteps came closer. Out of the darkness, a Chaos grunt emerged.

The grunt took one look at them and his face turned sour.

He pointed his finger at Ayden. "You! I remember you! You're the punk who soloed my entire squad!"

Mendy took a step back. "Team Chaos is still on this ship?"

The grunt pulled out a pokéball. "I'm gonna make you regret messing with us. Go, Mightyena!" He tossed the pokéball and Mightyena emerged with its fangs and claws bared ready to pounce on anything in front of it.

Ayden pulled a pokéball out and threw it. "Go, Heracross!"

Heracross emerged and after taking a look at Mightyena, began to retreat backward.

The grunt laughed. "I can't believe my squad was taken out by a trainer who has a coward of a pokémon! This is too good!"

Mendy jumped in between the two. "Wait! You can't honestly be wanting to fight considering the condition we're all in? Just look! We're all trapped underwater! This is no time for a battle!"

The grunt clenched his teeth and balled his hands. "Just shut up! Taking over this ship was going to put me in the standings for a promotion! But, thanks to you, that's never gonna happen!"

Mendy fired back. "What difference does it make now? Wouldn't it be better to try and get off this ship than seek revenge?"

The grunt zeroed in on her. "I said shut up! Mightyena, Fire Fang!"

Mightyena launched itself at Mendy with its fangs ablaze and its protruding claws ready to tear her to shreds.

Mendy stood frozen in fear with her eyes wide as Mightyena closed in on her. It moved so fast, she didn't have time to react.

Heracross jumped in front of Mendy and took the brunt of the Fire Fang on his back. The flames scorched his wings and backside as Mightyena sank its fangs deeper into him.

Mendy stared in horror as Heracross endured the harsh flames of Mightyena's attack. "Oh no! Heracross!"

The grunt laughed. "That's it! That's it! Take it down, Mightyena! Show these fools what happens when you mess with the power of Team Chaos! Now, Hyper Beam!"

Mightyena backed off Heracross and widened its mouth as a ball of yellow energy manifested and grew larger by the second.

Ayden's eyes widened as Mightyena's attack reached its peak. "Heracross, Reversal!"

Heracross wound up its claws and struck Mightyena in the face, forcing it to fire its attack on the grunt.

With widened eyes, the grunt screamed in terror as the attack blasted him through the door at the end of the hallway. He flew into the engine room where he was surrounded by raging flames. As he sat up, he noticed Mightyena out cold and recalled it. He looked up and saw Ayden, Mendy, and Heracross walk up to him, ready to counter any moves he dared make.

He couldn't believe it. First his squad, and now he was taken out? This couldn't be happening. How could he have been bested by this kid?

He clenched his teeth and punched the floor. "Damn… you!"

Ayden furrowed his eyebrows. "Just give up already! You've nowhere else to run! So talk! I have several questions for you!"

The grunt smirked and chuckled. "Nowhere… else to run? Do you… think you've won?" With all the strength he had, he staggered back on his feet. "Team Chaos… never admits defeat. We'll keep… coming for you, and… we won't stop. Not until… we get… everything!" He took a few steps backward until he was on the edge of the broken staircase.

Mendy's eyes widened. "Wait! What are you doing? Stop!"

With a sinister smile, the grunt spread his arms out and fell backward into the inferno laughing. "Heil, Team Chaos! Heil Lord Schröder!"

The flames consumed him as his laugh echoed throughout the room. Mendy gasped and covered her eyes while Ayden gripped his pokéball while replaying the grunts words over and over. It was the same as the other one back in Cerulean. Schröder? Just who is that?

He shook his head to get the thoughts out and turned to Heracross. "Hey, that was really brave what you did back there. Excellent work, Heracross. Doesn't look like you'll be doing any flying though. Don't worry, we'll get you to a Center soon."

Mendy fell to her knees crying. The look on his face as he fell had been burned into her mind. She never thought she'd see something as haunting as that.

Heracross walked up to her and placed his claws on her shoulder.

She turned to his smiling face and weakly smiled back. "I'm sorry, thank you, Heracross. You were amazing." She patted him on the head and then gave him a hug.

With that, Ayden returned Heracross and helped Mendy to her feet. "Come on, we have to keep going."

Mendy wiped her tears away and nodded.

They cautiously entered the engine room, knowing they had to cross the flames in order to get to the other side.

Ayden reached for Fearow's pokéball and opened it. Fearow appeared and squawked proudly.

Ayden knelt down and looked at him. "Fearow, we need you to help us get to the other side."

Ayden pointed to the doorway on the other side of the room. Fearow looked at it then looked down at the blazing fires beneath him before giving Ayden a nod.

Ayden stood up and looked over at Mendy. "All right, let's get moving. Mendy, you're going across first. You ready?"

Mendy nodded and walked toward Fearow. He flew up and she grabbed his legs. The moment she was airborne, she flinched as she was met with the intense heat that had been circulating throughout the room. She'd never experienced anything like this before, but she had to get to the other side.

Fearow hastened his pace and gently placed Mendy in the entrance of the door.

Mendy smiled and patted Fearow on the head. "Great job, Fearow! Thank you!"

Fearow nodded and then took off to get Ayden. He reached Ayden and Ayden grabbed him by the legs and they took off. He flew past the roaring flames and could see Mendy waving her hands in cheers at the other end of the room. As they approached the doorway, an explosion spooked Fearow, knocking him off balance and plummeting toward the flames below.

Mendy's eyes widened in horror as she watched Ayden and Fearow fall into the flames. "Ayden! Fearow!" She stared helplessly at the flames hoping the two would emerge soon. When neither appeared, tears welled up in her eyes. "This…isn't happening."

Before she could work up a good cry, Fearow emerged from the flames with Ayden on his back. Mendy moved out of the way so Fearow could land and the moment he touched the floor, he collapsed onto his stomach.

Mendy gasped as she couldn't believe they were both all right. They had several burns over them with Fearow's wings taking most of the damage, but nothing fatal.

Mendy rushed over and helped Ayden off Fearow.

When he was safely on floor, she held him up in her arms. "Ayden! Are you two all right? Say something!"

Ayden coughed up smoke. "We're fine, but Fearow won't be doing any more flying any time soon. He needs to get to a Pokémon Center. But for now, you did well, Fearow. You saved my life."

Fearow squawked proudly then coughed up smoke.

Ayden chuckled and recalled him to his pokéball. He turned to Mendy as she wiped back her tears. "Why're you crying?"

She clenched her fists and got in his face. "Don't ever scare me like that again! I thought you two died down there! I mean just look at you!"

Ayden heaved a sigh. "Look, Fearow's fine and that's what's most important. You shouldn't waste your time worrying about me."

Mendy felt taken aback by that. "What are you talking about? You act like your life doesn't matter at all! Didn't you say you wanted to see your family again?"

He sat in silence for a moment then stood up and pulled out a pokéball. "Come on, let's go. We're wasting time sitting here. Charmander, you're up!" Charmander emerged and took a long yawn as he stared at Ayden and Mendy. "Charmander, we need you to use your flames to melt through the metal hull."

Charmander gave another yawn and nodded. He wound up and shot a stream of fire at the hull.

As the flames began to melt through, Mendy called on Squirtle. "Squirtle, I need you to listen up. As soon as Charmander finishes melting through the hull, we need you to swim us out of here and up to the surface. You got it?"

Squirtle nodded.

Ayden stepped up. "Squirtle won't be able to pull both of us at the same time. You go first and I'll meet you at the surface."

Mendy glared at him and then stood up. "What are you talking about? I can't leave you behind!"

Ayden looked up and saw Charmander was almost done melting the hull. "We don't have much time! Just grab Squirtle and get ready to go!" Charmander's flames finished and the water's pressure burst through, quickly filling the hallway.

Charmander's eyes widened as the water rushed toward him. He grabbed his tail and ran down the hallway before Ayden recalled him.

Mendy took hold of Squirtle before looking back at Ayden. "Hurry, Squirtle, we have to go!"

Squirtle nodded and swam up the pouring water.

As they disappeared off the ship, Ayden looked around as the hallway quickly flooded. He leaned back against the wall and slowly took in breaths as he tried to keep calm and block out the images of his dream.

* * *

Squirtle pulled Mendy up as fast as he could as they felt the rush of the frigid ocean. Mendy looked up and realized they were deeper underwater than she thought. If the ship had sunk any lower, they would've been crushed.

Soon, she and Squirtle felt the rage of the storm as the ocean pulled them in every which way, making it difficult for Squirtle to keep swimming straight to the surface.

Mendy clamped her hand over her mouth to keep as much as air possible. Squirtle noticed her struggling to hold her breath and could feel her grip slipping. He had to think of something.

Though she held out as long as she could, the oceans currents had finally gotten the better of her. Her lungs burned for air and she could feel herself starting to black out. As she reached her limit, she suddenly felt a jerk as Squirtle zoomed through the rough currents and straight toward the surface. She tried to open her eyes to see what had come over Squirtle, but couldn't make out what he was doing.

Before she knew it, Squirtle rocketed them both out of the water and into the air. She coughed as the sudden surge of air filled her lungs faster than she could handle. In the brief moment she was out of the water, she gazed around at the massive storm before her. With all the rain, wind, and lightning, she began to think they'd be better off back on the boat. She looked at Squirtle and saw he had been encased in a vortex of water. Right then she knew he'd taught himself Aqua Jet.

The wind carried them back into the water, and the currents didn't hesitate to toss them around. When Mendy reemerged, she soon found a large platform floating near her. It looked to be a piece of the ship that had broken off. After several attempts, she eventually grabbed ahold of it.

When she felt she had a firm grip, she turned to Squirtle. "Okay, go back and get Ayden! Hurry!"

Squirtle nodded and dove back under. Mendy tightened her grip on the platform as the waves continued to mercilessly toss her around. However, her mind was more worried about Ayden than anything else. She closed her eyes and prayed Squirtle would make it to him in time.

* * *

It had been a while since Mendy escaped the ship with Squirtle. Ayden stood in the corner of the hallway taking in short shallow breaths as the water quickly filled up the hallway. He took in a deep breath just as his face was about to submerge. When his whole body floated beneath the water's surface, he froze. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his limbs to do what he wanted. He held onto his breath as best he could, all the while thinking about the promise he made to his brother and how he couldn't die just yet. He had to live long enough to fulfill it.

He felt himself losing consciousness as he stared at the exit Charmander created, hoping Squirtle would make it back in time. When Squirtle didn't return, he let out the last of his breath as everything around him became dark.

As his body floated, the branding on his back activated, and the intricate details began glowing crimson. His eyes reacted to the branding and they shot open, their hazelnut color changing to their blue and gold combination. He surveyed his surroundings until his eyes locked on the exit. He moved angelically, as if he lived his whole life underwater. With the exit directly above him, he crouched down and concentrated all his energy down into his legs. From there, he shot himself straight out of the ship and zoomed through the ocean. The force from his jump pushed the ship off its unsteadied position on top of a crevice pillar down into the ocean's depths.

Squirtle maneuvered his way towards the ship as quickly as he could. He had to get back and help Ayden, and by helping him, he had a chance of scoring brownie points with Piik. Her image popped into his head and his heartbeat went into overdrive. He could barely contain himself at the thought of Piik rewarding him for reuniting her with Ayden.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted when something zoomed past him. He turned around and blinked in confusion as he saw Ayden making his way to the surface like a rocket.

Ayden's body continued to propel itself toward the surface from that one burst on the ship. As the surface became within reach, the glow from the branding died out and his eyes returned to their original hazelnut color. Soon, his body stopped moving, and he closed his eyes as he sank back down into the depths.

Squirtle swam toward him, grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him up to the surface.

* * *

Mendy held onto the makeshift raft as the storm continued, still hoping Squirtle would make it back with Ayden. It had been a long time since she left the ship, and she kept thinking of every kind of worst-case scenario possible. She shook her head and tried her best to dismiss those thoughts. She just had to believe Squirtle would come through.

Soon, Squirtle and Ayden popped out of the water and he pulled Ayden toward the raft. Mendy saw them and a smile spread across her face. She helped Squirtle pull Ayden on the raft and then quickly checked him over the best she could. The storm made it difficult to tell, but she could feel him breathing. She held them both close to her as they endured the rough waves.

* * *

The storm continued throughout the day as Nami and Jin sat in the shelter along with all the other survivors of the shipwreck as Officer Jenny, together with her squad and Nurse Joy, passed out meals for everyone.

Nami sat in silence with her meal in hand; her mind too focused on Mendy's wellbeing to even eat.

Jin took notice of her lack of appetite as she mindlessly played with her food. "Hey, I know it's rough, but you have to eat something. How else can we help them when the storm finally breaks?"

She paid him no mind as she continued to fiddle her food around with her chopsticks. He'd never seen her like this before. It was as if all the life had been sucked out of her. He wished there was something he could do, but nothing significant came to mind.

He looked up and saw a few officers come into the shelter. They stood around the entrance and seemed to be in a deep discussion. Nami wasted no time in discarding her meal and ran up to them. Jin set his meal down and followed.

One of the officers, a portly man of medium height, scratched his beard as he talked with the other two officers; fairly young men who seemed to be rather new to the job.

One of the younger men turned to the portly officer. "Well, the storm does seem to be dying down quite a bit finally. Should we start getting things ready for the investigation team?"

The portly officer closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "Yes, very well, we'll begin the investigation of the ship. Go and get the team ready."

The other two saluted and before they walked away, they heard a voice shout at them.

"Wait!" They turned to see Nami running toward them and skid to a stop. "Are you guys going to search the ship? If so, please let me join you!"

The officer looked at her in dismay.

Before he said anything, Jin caught up and joined Nami. "Yes, please let us assist you! Our friends are still on that ship! We have to help them!"

The officer shook his head. "Absolutely out of the question. We can't send children out with the investigation team. There are far too many dangers that could happen. Your best option is to just wait here until we finish."

Nami clenched her fists as she tried her best to hold in her rage. Sit and wait, sit and wait, that's all she was told to do and she couldn't take it anymore. She had to rescue Mendy now. Who knows how long she's been trapped inside the ship and for how much longer she'll be able to. She had to do something.

As the officer turned to leave, she called out to him again. "Wait! I have my water pokémon with me! As soon as they get back from Nurse Joy, they can help with the investigation!"

Jin smiled. "She's right! Please, we won't get in your way, we promise! We just want to help and make sure our friends are safe!"

The officer and his subordinates looked at the two as they bowed, hoping with all they had they'd accept their offer.

One of the younger officers turned to his superior. "Sir, it would be a big help. We could use all the hands we can get."

The portly officer scratched his beard and then gave a nod. "All right, you can come along. But, you have to do what we tell you, understood?"

Nami and Jin lifted their heads and nodded. "Yes, sir!"

Nami felt a wave of relief. She could finally come to Mendy's aid. All she had to do was wait a little bit longer.

* * *

The heavy rain had settled down to a light drizzle and the wind turned into a soft breeze as Mendy, Ayden, and Squirtle all laid on the raft.

Mendy took in deep breaths as she couldn't believe they survived the storm. "That was insane! I don't ever want to go through that again. How're you doing, Squirtle?" Squirtle looked up at her and gave the peace sign. Mendy smiled and looked at Ayden. "Ayden, how about you?"

He didn't answer. She called out to him again only for the same result to occur. Concerned, she put her ear to his mouth and her eyes widened when she discovered he'd stopped breathing. When? She knew he was breathing when they got him on the raft. How long had he been like this?

She tilted his head backward, lifted his chin, and widened his mouth. She gulped down her nerves when she realized the next step. She had to do it though, his life was on the line. She closed her eyes and slowly leaned in.

* * *

Ayden floated along in an abyss of darkness. He slowly opened his eyes as he heard a voice call out to him.

It spoke in a language he'd never heard of, but somehow he knew exactly what it said. "Awaken! You are not meant to leave this world just yet!"

Ayden's eyes changed from their normal hazelnut to their blue and gold combination and the branding on his back activated. He sat up with a jolt and collided with Mendy in the head. Both reeled from the blow and rolled on the raft.

Mendy retreated to one corner of the raft and rubbed her head. "Ow! What was that for? Why'd you hit me?"

Ayden held his head to quell the pain. His eyes returned to normal and the branding on his back stopped glowing. "What were you doing hovering over me like that?"

Mendy blushed and averted her eyes. "Well… I was… um… I was… you weren't breathing, and… I was going to try and… oh never mind! How're you feeling? You weren't conscious when Squirtle pulled you up."

Ayden held his head and thought back. The last thing he remembered was being on the ship. He must've passed out, but how did he get to the surface?

He turned to Squirtle and lightly smiled. "Thanks, Squirtle. I owe you one."

'Owed him one'? Did that mean he could have some special alone time with Piik? The very thought caused him to drool out the side of his mouth and his eyes relaxed in a daze.

Mendy looked at him and pulled out her pokéball. "Okay, Romeo, time for you to take a rest." When Squirtle was back inside, Mendy kissed it. "Thank you, Squirtle. You rest up well."

* * *

In the late afternoon, Nami and Jin walked out with the officers in charge of the investigation team. Nami couldn't wait, now was her chance to rescue Mendy and this nightmare would finally be over. They met the investigation team, a small squad of divers, who looked like they've done this sort of thing for years.

One of the divers, a woman of medium height and auburn hair stepped forward to Nami and Jin. "Hello, I'm Samantha. I heard you two will be assisting us with the investigation." Both Nami and Jin nodded and Samantha smiled. "That's perfect. We can always use more hands to help. Now, do either of you have any water pokémon?"

Nami quickly raised her hand. "I do! Two of them actually, and they're ready to help with searching the ship!"

Samantha gave a nod. "Excellent. I like your enthusiasm. I take it you don't have any on hand, young man?"

Jin laughed nervously. "I'm afraid I don't. However, I can help out with monitoring from up here. I'm ready to help out in any way I can. Our friends are down there and we need to help them."

Samantha gave another nod. "I understand. We'll do everything we can to help out your friends as well. Let's get everything ready to begin."

With that, they followed Samantha and her team to the harbor. They were each given a two-way radio and Samantha directed Nami and Jin to their respective teams.

"Jin, you'll be with the monitoring team. Pay close attention to what they need you to do." Jin gave a nod. "Nami, you'll be with my team. Your water pokémon will be a big help in searching the ship faster. Are you both ready?"

Both responded simultaneously. "Yes, ma'am!"

Samantha smiled and each team went their separate ways. Nami followed Samantha and her heartbeat became louder with each step she took. How long had Mendy been down there? She couldn't think of anything else except getting her off that ship.

They arrived at their diving spot and Samantha and her team sent out their pokémon. Nami stood in awe at the group's squad of water types. Samantha commanded a Dewgong, a long, snowy-white, seal pokémon; and a Wartortle, Squirtle's second evolution stage. When the entire team had called out their pokémon, Nami called out Staryu and Marill.

As soon as they appeared on the surface of the water, Nami knelt down to them. "Okay, guys. This is a very important mission. Mendy is trapped inside that ship deep beneath the surface. I need you two to work with Samantha's team and search the ship and bring her back as soon as possible. Check every inch of the ship and make sure you don't miss anything, okay?"

Her pokémon nodded and dove under the water. Nami breathed a sigh of relief and she hoped everything would work out.

* * *

A couple of hours had passed and Nami stood with her arms crossed and tapping her foot. The sun began to set and there had been no sign of either Marill or Staryu. How much longer did she have to wait? It shouldn't have taken them this long to investigate the ship. A ripple in the water drew her attention and soon both Staryu and Marill emerged.

Nami instantly went up them and knelt down. "Well? How'd it go? Where's Mendy?" Both pokémon shook their heads and Nami felt her heart sink at the sight of their solemn expressions. "What are you saying? You searched the whole ship, didn't you? So where is she? She had to still be on the ship! Go back and search again!"

Samantha's voice came on the radio. "Hey, Nami, we've just got a development." Nami's eyes widened as she waited for her news. "It seems the ship sank deeper into the ocean than we originally thought. The depths it fell to are too dangerous for humans. It's not possible for anyone to survive at that level. My pokémon just got back with me and they didn't find your friends. We've sent our flying pokémon out to search the area, but they haven't found anything either. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do at this point. We have to pull out."

Nami sat there paralyzed by Samantha's words. Pull out? No one? But, Mendy was still on the ship, right? If the depths the ship fell were too dangerous for humans, then that would mean.

Jin felt the same as Nami. Stunned by her words, he sat staring blankly into the ocean. It couldn't be true. There had to be some mistake. He wanted to call her out on it and question the matter, but he couldn't find the strength to form words.

* * *

Ayden and Mendy continued to drift along on the makeshift raft, with them sitting on opposite ends.

The sun had set and Mendy held her stomach as it growled louder. "Oh, I'm so hungry. I should've stuffed myself with that buffet like Nami and Jin did."

Ayden opened his backpack and looked inside the pocket that held his stash of chocolate bars.

He reached in and gave Mendy one. "Here. It's not much, but it should hold you for now."

Mendy gazed at the bar with glazed eyes then smiled. Food. Wonderful food right in front of her.

She reached for it then stopped. "Wait, what about you? Aren't you going to eat?"

Ayden shook his head. "I'm fine for now. I have plenty left. Go ahead, eat up."

Mendy reluctantly took the bar from him with a 'thank you' and watched Ayden set his backpack down and curl up on his side of the raft. Unable to control her hunger anymore, she gobbled up the bar as fast as she could and then stared at the wrapper. She wanted to ask if he could spare another, but felt it best to wait it out. She curled up on the other side of the raft and shifted her body until she was staring up at the sky. She didn't know why, but she started giggling.

Ayden lifted his head. "What's so funny?"

Mendy shook her head. "It's nothing, really. I was just thinking that, despite all that's happened and our current situation, at least the stars look nice tonight. Don't know why, but it's calming me down. It's like they're saying everything will turn out okay. I wonder if Nami and Jin are looking up at the sky now too. I hope they're both okay."

Ayden slightly shifted his body so his arm became a pillow. "I'm sure they're fine. We'll meet up with them soon. You don't have to worry."

At his words, Mendy managed a calm smile. Somehow, his words made her feel at peace with the situation.

"Thank you, Ayden."

* * *

The night air grew colder as Ayden and Mendy slept on opposite ends of the raft. Still soaked from earlier events, Mendy curled up as best she could to stay warm. Ayden could hear her shivering, and the chattering of her teeth soon turned into sneezes. He quietly walked over and laid his jacket over her like a blanket. She soon calmed down, and he made his way back over to his side.

He sat down and kept watch as she slept. He lightly smiled as he thought about all that had happened. He didn't expect her to follow him as he went to retrieve his locket, but was happy she did. The only reason he made it out of that ship alive was because of her.

He gripped his stomach as it growled and he shivered as he felt the wind pick up, but he continued to watch over Mendy as he struggled to stay awake.

* * *

Mendy woke up to the sun's light hitting her face as dawn arrived. She sat up, yawned, stretched and then held her stomach. The chocolate bar didn't hold at all. She looked over and saw Ayden asleep. She wanted to ask about the chocolate bars, but remembered him saying he had plenty left. So, there wouldn't be any harm in snagging one for breakfast.

She reached for his bag and looked through it, but couldn't find any of the chocolate bars. She looked at Ayden and realized she was wearing his jacket. Suddenly, it all hit her at once.

She quickly shook his shoulders. "Ayden! Ayden, wake up! You have to wake up!" He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. When she had his attention, tears formed in her eyes. She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him up to her face. "What were you thinking? You only had one chocolate bar left, didn't you? And you didn't even bother to have any for yourself! Not only that, but you gave me your jacket! You must've been freezing last night! Why? Why do you keep doing things that puts your own health at risk? Are you trying to kill yourself or something?"

Ayden stared back at her and his eyes she could see were weak from both hunger and lack of sleep. "What's most important is that you're okay. You want to see Nami and Mr. Owen again, right?"

Mendy tightened her grip on his shirt trying to hold back her tears and rage. This was the same line he gave her when Fearow got injured.

"And what about you, huh? You said you have people waiting for you, right? What good does it do them if you end up…?" She trailed off when she spotted scales above the ocean's surface. She recognized them, and her heart nearly stopped. She looked around and more of the same scales appeared. She shook as her worst fear was becoming a reality. She looked back at Ayden who had fallen back asleep. "Ayden! Ayden, wake up! We're surrounded! We have to do something!"

She looked up again and realized they were too late as she stared at the monstrous faces of several Gyarados as they emerged out of the water. She couldn't believe this was happening. All this time, they'd been drifting into their territory. Gyarados were aggressive pokémon already, but going into their territory ticks them off even more.

One of the Gyarados used its tail and broke the raft apart, knocking Ayden and Mendy into the water. Mendy resurfaced and pulled Ayden up just in time to watch the Gyarados swim around them and form a tornado. She held Ayden close to her as the tornado picked both of them up. Her screams were deafened by the high winds and they were carried away by the sheer force.

* * *

Jin had just finished his breakfast as he sat in the Pokémon Center cafeteria. His mind still on the reasoning for the investigation team to pull away from the search for Ayden and Mendy. How could they not find anything? He'd been racking his brain for the answer, but nothing came to mind.

With a deep sigh, he got up and made his way back to the guest room. When he opened the door, he found Nami standing over her bed packing her bag. "Hey, where're you going?"

She ignored him and continued packing. All she could think about was rescuing Mendy. She zipped up her bag, flung it over her shoulder and made her way out of the room.

Jin followed her. "Hey, Nami, wait up!" He caught up and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Wait, Nami, you can't be thinking about going to look for them yourself, right? Look, I understand where you're coming from, but we've searched the area completely and we've found nothing. What we need to do is remain calm and come up with another plan. I know how you feel. You think there's almost nothing left to do but wait. But, I know we'll meet up with them soon, okay?"

Nami didn't know what happened, but something inside her took over. She couldn't explain the sensation, but it was something boiling inside her that was begging to be released.

In one swift motion, she knocked Jin's hand away and turned to him. "Know how I feel? Don't kid yourself." She placed her hand over her heart. "Do you have a pain in your chest every time you think of her and all the years you spent together? Does your blood boil knowing the so-called experts have given up the search? Is your mind plagued with one thought after the other of what might have happened to her? You have no idea how I feel! I don't believe for one damn second she's dead! She's alive somewhere and I'm gonna find her, no matter how long it takes! You haven't known her as long as I have! So don't go acting like you know how I feel! To me… she's…," she trailed off as her mind kept flashing images of when they first met, how they started their journey together, and her award-winning smile. "To me… she's… to me… she's my…," tears finally fell as she couldn't take it anymore. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands as she cried.

Jin pulled her toward him and embraced her. A tear fell as he comforted her and she cried in his arms.

* * *

As the waves crashed against the shoreline, Mendy and Ayden lay sprawled on the soft white sands of a beach. Mendy stirred as the sun shined in her eyes. She looked up weakly at the silhouette of a large man. She couldn't see his face or hear anything. Too weak to move or speak, she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

* * *

Rose exited her helicopter and stepped out onto the platform, meeting up with her escort, a Chaos Grunt who had his face covered. Several Chaos Grunts gave her a salute as she walked by and she saluted back.

She followed her escort into the heavily guarded fortress and was met with a series of intricate security procedures before she was led inside.

Her escort led her down a few hallways and an elevator before finally showing her to the meeting room. He gave her a salute and walked away.

Rose opened the door and was met with the stares of the other Chaos Captains. The meeting of the Chaos Thirteen was about to begin.

* * *

 *****Hello, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and that it was worth the wait! Again, my apologies for taking a month off, but there was a lot of things happening and not much time to get the chapter up and running. Although going forward, things might get a little trickier down the road. I don't know what'll happen with my current job and how things are progressing schedule wise, but I'll be sure to let you guys know if anything changes from the usual one chapter a month routine. If things start to get too crazy, I may have to change it to a chapter every two months. But in any rate, let me know what you guys thought of the chapter and please feel free to provide any constructive feedback you may have! Do you feel the chapters are too long or not long enough? Something you'd like to suggest? Leave a comment and let me know! Thank you again for taking the time to read my chapter and I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 16 will be posted around the same time next month, so look forward to it and have great night!**


	16. The Chaos Thirteen

**Good evening, everyone! Welcome to chapter 16 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 16**

Rose stepped into the small windowless room and stared back at the seated Chaos captains as they watched her flip back her pink hair as the automatic door slowly closed behind her. The room fell into complete silence until one of the captains jumped out of her seat and waved at her. She had long green hair and yellow eyes, along with a smirk that said she was going to have fun picking on someone. "Oh Rosey! I've saved you a seat over here!"

Rose clicked her tongue as she was the last person she wanted to see. She glared at her as she walked over. "I've told you to stop calling me that, Jasumi. Is it quite possible you're hard of hearing?"

Jasumi's smirk widened into a smile as Rose took her seat. She knew she always had the ability to tear through Rose's flawless façade and get under her skin to the point she could barely keep it together, and she loved every second of it. "Oh, but you're just so cute when you get angry, Rosey."

Another female captain took notice of their verbal exchanges and placed her hand on her cheek. "Oh my, must you two fight every time you see each other?"

Both girls turned to look at her. She was visibly older than Rose and Jasumi, around mid-twenties. She had short blonde hair and purple eyes, smooth skin, and carried an air of an older sister about her.

Rose pointed at Jasumi. "Umiko! Tell this snake woman to shut up already, before I make her!"

Umiko tilted her head in dismay. "I'd love to, Rose, but you should know as well as I do that no matter what I say to her she's just going to ignore it. Why don't you two just try getting along?"

Jasumi smiled. "Yeah, Rosey, why don't we just get along?"

Rose clenched her fists. "You know very well why we can't get along, Jasumi! No one in their right damn mind would try to get along with you in the first place! You'd betray your own parents if you had the chance!"

Jasumi giggled. "Betray? Don't get the wrong idea, Rosey. My allegiance is to our great Lord Schröder and no one else. I'd gladly lay down my life for him and his ambition. But, since we're on the subject of betrayal, how're your parents doing… Myouou?"

Rose's eyes widened and her anger spiked. If there was one thing she hated more than anything was being called by that name. The name she wanted to purge from her very being and forget that was ever hers. The only ones who know of that name are the thirteen captains and those of higher rank. "Why you little… don't ever call me that again!"

Her voice filled the entire room, drawing the attention of every captain there. Before their argument escalated any further, they heard a loud cough as one of the other captains cleared his throat. They turned to an older man of early twenties who had short black hair and an eyepatch covering one of his eyes.

When both girls quieted down, he turned to them. "Captain Rose, please keep your anger in check and remember where you are. Captain Jasumi, quit egging Rose on. You know that subject gets under her skin. Keep it up and I'll have no choice but to report you to the higher-ups."

Jasumi puffed out her cheeks and slunk down into her chair. "You're no fun, Toraya. Why do you have to be so uptight?"

Umiko sighed as Rose calmed down and took her seat. "Well done, Toraya. Taking charge like that. Very impressive."

Toraya blushed and cleared his throat. "It was nothing at all, Captain Umiko. I was simply offering a helping hand to quell the fighting between our ranks. We mustn't forget where and who we are. Proud members of Team Chaos."

Near the far end of the table, one of the captains was chugging away on a flask. After finally separating the drink from his lips, he wiped his mouth and leaned over. His speech was slurred due to his being intoxicated. "Hey, might as well let them fight it out. They're gonna continue anyway. Let them settle their argument with a good battle. Let's get some excitement going around here! There's nothing like good entertainment and some whiskey!"

"Ugh, would you shut your stupid face, Mashira!" They turned to a woman on the opposite end of the table. She had long orange hair and sat with her head resting on her hand. "All you ever think about is alcohol. It's unsightly and embarrassing to have such a low-life idiot in our ranks."

Mashira laughed and took another swig from his flask. "Harsh as always, Masaki! Don't be so uptight. You should learn to loosen up a little. How about you and I go for a drink after this, huh?"

Masaki scowled. "Please, as if I'd waste my time. I'd rather kill myself than ever be alone with you. And stop talking already! I can smell the alcohol on your breath all the way from here, you drunk monkey!"

The awkward conversation was soon interrupted by a burst of laughter. Masaki and Mashira turned toward a lean and toned woman of early twenties. She had short brown hair and blue eyes. She continued her fit of laughter and proceeded to slap the table. "Ah man, that's awesome! Turned him down flat!"

She continued laughing and Masaki put her hand to her forehead. "Oh, good God, would you shut up too, Chouka? You're giving me a headache! Ugh, you're all so damn annoying!"

Chouka's laughter quickly stopped and she glared at Masaki. She didn't appreciate anyone killing her good time. "You wanna go a few rounds, princess? I'd be more than happy to rearrange that freaking face of yours!"

Masaki yawned and waved her hand. "And this is what I'm talking about. You're all so annoying. Always jumping into a confrontation without giving it a modicum of thought. Do any of you have any tact?"

"That's hilarious coming from you." Everyone turned to the young man silently reading a book. He had short blonde hair and blue eyes behind rectangular glasses. He sat with his legs crossed and turned the pages of his book diligently as if caressing the hair of his lover.

Masaki straightened up. "And what the hell do you mean by that, Youichi?"

Youichi closed his book and turned to her. "There, right there is what I mean. You act like you're this prim and proper woman who has class, but in reality you're a short-tempered hypocrite who badmouths anyone who even whispers to you. In short, the truly annoying person in this room is you."

Chouka burst out laughing again and proceeded to pound the table. "I hope you have some Burn Heal on ya for that one!"

Her banging the table caused the last female member to wake up. She had her head down with her arms acting as a pillow. She had short light blue hair and purple eyes. She was physically the smallest person there. Along with her standard uniform, she also wore a black hoodie with two round ears on top like a mouse.

She yawned and stretched before turning to Chouka and spoke in a monotone drowsy-like voice. "Chouka, please don't bang the table. I was trying to get some sleep."

Chouka grinned and waved to her. "Oops, my bad! Sorry about that, Sokotsu! Didn't mean to disturb ya!"

Sokotsu gave a nod and yawned again. "No worries. Goodnight." She laid her head back on her arms and went to sleep.

Toraya turned to the sleeping girl. "Captain Sokotsu! The meeting will begin shortly! You've no time for a nap! What would the higher-ups think if they caught you napping when they appear? It's not very becoming of someone who holds the rank of captain!"

Chouka grinned and waved him down. "Don't worry your pretty little head, Toraya. She'll be fine. She'll be fully alert when the meeting actually starts. We have a few minutes anyway."

Toraya turned to Chouka. "It's Captain Toraya, Captain Chouka. Please, let us remember our customs and courtesies."

They all heard a grumbling and turned toward a stout man holding his stomach. He had a round face along with his body, a short bush of black hair and freckles. He frowned as his stomach growled again. "Speaking of which, does anyone know how long this meeting's gonna last? I'm starving! I haven't had anything to eat in like thirty minutes!"

Masaki clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Geez, this just keeps getting better and better. You know, maybe going without food for a while would do you some good, Inokoza. You could stand to lose a couple hundred pounds."

Inokoza looked at his stomach and smiled. "Why would I want to do that? Food makes me happy and helps me concentrate. It's good to have the thing you love in your life."

Masaki rolled her eyes. "Whatever, fatass!"

Chouka clenched her fists. "You know what! I've had it up to here with you badmouthing everybody! Let's take it outside right now!"

Masaki grinned. "Sure, I'd love to battle you anywhere you want. Then I'll finally prove to you all that I'm the best around here."

Chouka's eye twitched in annoyance. "You think you're better than I am? A snob who thinks she's great because she was born into the higher class of society?"

Masaki flipped back her hair. "I know I'm better than some street urchin with no home or family to turn to. I refuse to be beaten by some low-life trash like you."

Chouka got out of her seat. "Then let's go, you stuck-up bitch!"

Masaki stood up as well. "Any time, you filth!"

As they glared each other down, a muscular man stood up and approached them. He had messy black hair and stood a full foot over them. "Hey! If you two are gonna fight, then let me in on it." He punched his palm. "I'll show you what a real fight is like."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see a slender man of medium height with messy red hair and huge circular-framed glasses. He wore a white lab coat over his uniform. "Hey, Kentarou, don't be so hasty. Let the ladies fight it out. This'll be a perfect opportunity for me to collect some very valuable data."

Kentarou jerked his shoulder out of his grip. "What's so great about collecting data, Gyuuji? Just use your fists to do the collecting!"

Gyuuji smiled and pushed his glasses up with the base of his palm. "That's just the way I figured a Neanderthal would respond. You have absolutely no appreciation for the wonderful muscle that is the brain."

Rose looked around and realized why she never tried to contact any of her fellow captains. Each one had a quirk about them that would drive anyone insane if left alone with them for any amount of time. The only thing keeping her sanity in check was the thought of gazing at her photo collection of Ayden.

Jasumi stared at her with intense curiosity as Rose's eyes stared off into space and she smiled. What could she be thinking about that would cause her to smile? She had to know. She had to know and find some way to use it against her.

Before she could think of anything further with that plan, the monitor in the room blinked on and Albrecht appeared, causing all the captains to pop to attention and salute. Albrecht saluted them back and waved them down. "Have a seat. Captains of Team Chaos, let's get down to business. I assume you all know why you've been summoned here for this meeting."

Jasumi raised her hand. "Ooh! I know! Is it the fact that Rosey here hasn't been able to get a piece of the Red Chain without sacrificing multiple personnel for it?"

Albrecht nodded. "That is partially the reason. Captain Rose, care to explain why getting the fragments of the Red Chain has cost us so many soldiers?"

Rose shot Jasumi a death glare to which she responded with a smile.

Rose stood up. "Sir, my subordinates have always given everything they have for the mission. When procuring the Red Chain fragments, this is even more so. Their diligence and competence knows no equal. Unfortunately, whenever there's a fragment, we're met with the Carrier."

Albrecht squinted his eyes. "And how is that coming? Along with the fragments, you were also assigned to capture the Carrier."

Rose felt sweat drip down her face. She'd hoped to gather all the fragments first before capturing Ayden. She didn't want to capture him just yet. She enjoyed seeing him fight and watch him masterfully take out her subordinates. She wanted to get him when he was at his peak of perfection; just ripe for picking. Then, he'd be all hers. She couldn't let the others find out her intentions. She just had to play it cool.

She straightened up and cleared her throat. "Sir, with all we have, we've found the Carrier to be quite the formidable foe, but rest assured we'll get-,"

"Sounds to me like you're hiding something, Rose." Rose turned to see Youichi cross his legs. "You've had ample opportunities to capture the Carrier, and you've failed each time. So, he's either too strong for you to handle, or you're letting him go on purpose."

Jasumi let out a high-pitched laugh. "Rosey, don't tell us you've been secretly holding back against the Carrier? That's not good, Rosey."

Masaki grinned. "Look, Rose, just because you became the youngest captain in Team Chaos history, doesn't mean you can just do whatever you wish."

Toraya gave Rose a concerned look. "Captain Rose, as a captain in Team Chaos' ranks, you wouldn't disgrace yourself by doing something like that, would you? That would be going against Lord Schröder's orders."

Sokotsu yawned and pointed her finger at Rose. "Rose… bad girl."

Albrecht looked at Rose and she could feel his anger. "Captain Rose… is this true?"

Rose hesitated. "Sir… of… course not. I would never sully my integrity as a Chaos Captain. My duties and loyalty are to Lord Schröder only and his word is law. The reason we haven't been able to capture the Carrier is because it's difficult to catch him without doing so much damage. If anything happens to him, the power inside him will transfer to a new host. We have to take as many precautions as possible, but alas, he's slipped out of our grasp every time. I sincerely apologize, sir. We'll amp up our training and resources and we will get you the Carrier, no matter what the cost."

Toraya stood up and applauded. "Well said, Captain Rose. A Chaos Captain must look adversity in the eye and smack it down with all they've got!"

Albrecht turned to Toraya. "Take your seat, Captain Toraya. I didn't give you permission to talk."

Toraya quickly sat back down. "Yes, sir."

Albrecht turned back to Rose. "Captain Rose, I have no doubt about your loyalty. Your past experience within the organization has proven vital to our missions. However, time is not on our side and we need the Carrier in our possession as soon as possible."

Kentarou punched his palm. "If you need help catching the Carrier, Rose, I'll be glad to help ya! He sounds like he's a big tough guy. Just the kind of opponent I've been looking for!"

Chouka rested her head on her hands. "Come to think of it… what does the Carrier even look like? Like Gyuuji said, he must be really tough if you haven't been able to bring him in, Rose."

Albrecht pushed a button and Ayden's picture appeared on the side of the screen. "This is the most recent photo we have of the Carrier. According to Rose's reports, his name is Ayden and has begun his own journey not but a couple of months ago."

All the captains gazed in disbelief at the photo with a few of them starting to giggle before bursting into laughter.

Jasumi held her stomach as she hollered. "It… it… it's just a little kid! You mean you've been having problems catching this shrimp, Rosey?"

Masaki held her hand to her mouth as she giggled. "Oh Rose, you can't be serious. This little kid is causing you so much problems? That is absurd."

Chouka dropped her shoulders. "Come on, Rose! You kidding me? And he's a rookie trainer no less!"

Kentarou burst into laughter. "Yeah, he doesn't look so tough! I could take him down blindfolded!"

"Don't underestimate him, regardless of his appearance." All the captains turned to the last member of the table. He wore a black cloak over his uniform and had spikey black hair and red eyes. His voice was deep and commanding and sent a chill down the spines of the rest of the captains, who could have sworn he wasn't there when they started.

Umiko leaned into Rose's ear. "Did you see him walk in?"

Rose shook her head. "No. I thought I was the last one in. I closed the door and it hasn't opened at all."

The cloaked man turned to the other captains. "He may be a kid, but he's obviously giving our organization more trouble than we can allow. Remember, he may not have control over it, but he's subconsciously using the power inside him… the power that we once had in our possession eight years ago."

Albrecht nodded. "It is just as Captain Ryuu has said. The Carrier is slowly but surely utilizing the powers within him. We must extract that power from him like we did from that girl eight years ago."

Toraya perked up. "You mean the mission in Solaceon Town, sir?"

Albrecht nodded again. "Yes, Captain Toraya. We were fortunate in that the one carrying the power then hadn't even begun to scratch the surface on how to use it. However, according to one of your subordinates, Captain Rose, she has a sister who inquired about that mission."

Rose pressed a button on the wrist of her glove and a screen of notes appeared. "Yes, sir. It would appear this trainer is out for revenge. According to what we know about her, she travels alone, has long red hair, and currently has a Monferno."

Albrecht squinted his eyes. "Interesting. Report any and all future details on this trainer, Captain Rose. I want as much information on her as possible."

Rose nodded. "Understood, sir."

Albrecht turned to the visual of Ayden. "Now then, Captain Rose, tell us all you know of the Carrier."

Rose grinned. She'd been waiting for this. "With pleasure, sir." She walked to the front of the room so that she faced her fellow captains. "As you can all see, yes, he is still a rookie trainer, but his skills are far better than that."

Masaki scoffed. "Or, perhaps your squads aren't as well trained as you'd like to believe them to be."

Jasumi snickered as well as a couple of other captains.

Rose cleared her throat. "As I was saying, his abilities as a trainer are skyrocketing. Not only that, but his party is growing as well. He currently holds the blue-cheeked Pikachu, a Fearow, a Heracross, and a Charmander. During his match with Leberecht, his Pikachu unleashed the power of Zekrom from within itself. While it didn't seem to have any control over it, the power was still incredible."

The rest of the captains perked up as she played a clip of the match between Ayden and Leberecht. The other captains gasped as they watched Piik transform and unleash her power on Typhlosion.

Umiko leaned forward on the table. "Wait… the power of Zekrom? You mean from Project White? Didn't that experiment get cancelled? How did anything ever survive the power transfer?"

Rose shook her head. "I wish I had the answer to that. Just as we finished transferring a part of Zekrom's power into the Pikachu, it destroyed the lab and escaped. That's when it eventually found the Carrier. Since then, these two have formed a powerful team together. Taking them lightly will only lead to defeat. One of my subordinates made that very mistake and it cost him his arm."

She played a clip of Ayden fighting Breyar. The captains sat mesmerized at the sight of Ayden effortlessly taking him down.

Rose smiled as she knew she finally got them all to shut up. "As you can see, the power inside Ayden boosts his physical prowess immensely. His speed and reflexes increase, his strength grows tenfold, and his senses are heightened. We also have a bit of him muttering what appears to be some language to the pokémon. We're unable to decipher it at this time, but this power is definitely merging well with him."

Albrecht nodded. "Thank you, Captain Rose, for the update on the Carrier. Which brings me to my next point. As we have already discussed, he's getting more powerful by the day. It won't be like it was in Solaceon Town. We'll need more power in order to subdue him. Therefore, I order you all to focus your efforts on getting the remaining fragments of the Red Chain as well as gathering up the remaining materials we need. Captain Youichi, we'll need your team in the Sinnoh region to secure the legendary item."

Youichi nodded. "Yes, sir! We'll have the item in our possession in no time at all."

Albrecht nodded. "Yes, see to it that you do. I want that item as soon as possible. Now, while we're all here in the Kanto region, I have a bit of an assignment for one of you to take in Saffron City. Who wants to volunteer?"

Mashira raised his hand. "I'll take this one, sir!"

Albrecht turned toward him. "Excellent, Captain Mashira, thank you for volunteering. A briefing package will be sent to you soon. Be sure to thoroughly review the materials and execute this mission flawlessly."

Mashira saluted. "You can count on me, sir!"

Albrecht nodded. "Good. Currently, with everyone's efforts, we have obtained twenty-five percent of the Red Chain. We still have a ways to go and we can't afford to waste any more time. Return to your regions and prepare your bases to up their efforts in the search for the remaining fragments, understand?"

All the captains stood up and saluted. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Albrecht turned to Rose. "Captain Rose, continue monitoring the Carrier. Track his movements and his progress. Report everything back to us. We must know exactly how he has grown by the time we finish the Red Chain."

Rose gave a nod. "Sir, yes, sir!"

With that, Albrecht signed off and the screen went blank.

Kentarou scratched the top of his head. "Wait, I'm confused. Why are we waiting to capture the Carrier? What would happen if we finish the chain, but he's grown to master the power within him? Would he be too powerful for the chain?"

Gyuuji sighed. "It doesn't matter how powerful he becomes. The Red Chain has the ability to strip him of his strength. A single piece of the chain will make him feel weak, but if the entire chain is completed, it'll take away all of his powers. As long as we have it completed, he won't be able to get away."

Kentarou smiled. "Oh, right! I remember now! Thanks, Gyuuji, you're so smart!"

Gyuuji rolled his eyes as Kentarou started laughing.

Toraya ran to the front of the room and gazed at his fellow captains. "All right, everyone! You all heard Lieutenant Colonel Albrecht! We have a mission to recover the remaining fragments of the Red Chain! Let's get out there and give it our all!"

He was met with less than stellar enthusiasm as the other captains half-heartedly walked by him out of the room.

Umiko stopped in front of Toraya. "That was a nice speech. It got me kinda fired up. Good luck finding the fragments in your region, Captain Toraya."

With that she walked out of the room, leaving Toraya red in the face.

Rose remained in her spot in the room. She was just given orders to keep tabs on Ayden. She couldn't have asked for a better assignment. She was more than happy to report back any and all details about him.

She smiled and started giggling to herself as Jasumi neared the exit. She turned around and gazed at Rose as she continued to laugh. She seemed too giddy to her. There was something going on and she was looking forward to finding out.

* * *

At the Pokémon Center in Vermilion City, Jin leaned against the counter watching the news as he waited on Nurse Joy to finish treating their pokémon. After the investigation team reported their findings to Officer Jenny, an official funeral was held at the request of Captain Cuttingham.

Jenny and her unit stood on the edge of a ship, looking over the body of water surrounding Vermilion City. She carried a bouquet of flowers and a sorrowful expression. Behind her stood Captain Cuttingham and his crew.

Jenny took a few steps toward the ocean and lowered her head. "At first, we thought all of the passengers of the ship had gotten off safely, but we recently learned of two passengers who were still inside, Ayden and Mendy. These two brave pokémon trainers helped protect the ship when it was under attack by Team Chaos, and it's saddening to know that the lives of these talented youths have been cut so tragically short."

She turned to Captain Cuttingham and he gave her a nod.

He then walked up and took her place in front of the crowd. "Everyone, I'd like to say a few words about the young man Ayden. When the ship was under attack and I was ready to give up, he restored my faith and gave me strength to stand back up and continue with my dream. I only wish I could pay him back for what he did for me. To think such a life was taken at such a young age."

Jenny walked back up and she and Cuttingham held the bouquet together. "We ask that these flowers honor their memory." With that, they gently tossed the bouquet into the ocean. Jenny turned to her squad. "Salute!" Her squad popped to attention and Taps soon played as the bouquet of flowers floated along the top of the ocean.

Nurse Joy came through the double doors with a tray full of pokéballs and Piik in her arms.

Jin turned around and grabbed the tray. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. I really appreciate it."

Joy shook her head. "It was my pleasure. Your pikachu needs some more time to rest though. I don't know exactly what happened, but the levels of fatigue are high. Please make sure she gets proper rest."

Jin took Piik in his arms. "I will, thank you again."

With that, he headed up the stairs towards the bedrooms with Piik in his arms. He was glad nothing serious happened to her. Now, all he had to do was get her back with Ayden.

He opened up the door and found Nami sitting on the corner of her bed, staring out the window. She hadn't said much in the last two days and he thought it best to try and give her space.

He laid her pokéballs on her bed. "Your pokémon are back from their checkup and so is Piik. Nurse Joy said she'd be fine as long as she got plenty of rest." Nami continued to stare out the window without saying a word. Jin sighed and placed Piik on his bed. He headed for the door when he heard Nami's voice.

"Sorry." He turned to her while she continued to stare out the window. "I'm sorry… for what I said. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You're just as worried as I am, but I took my frustrations out on you. I'm sorry."

Jin stared at Nami for a moment before grinning. "Apology accepted. And don't worry, I know we'll find them soon. We just needed to recharge our batteries. Come on, let's go."

Nami clenched her fists and her teeth. "That's it? That's all you have to say?" She got up and faced him. "Aren't you going to get mad or something? I yelled at you and basically said your feelings didn't matter! Why aren't you more upset about this?"

Jin lowered his shoulders and sighed. "I guess… I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt by what you said. You're right, I haven't known Mendy as long as you have, but I still consider her one of my best friends. You three have done so much for me, and if anything happens to you guys, I can't help but worry. So, I don't have time to be mad at you, Nami, when two of our friends are still out there waiting for us."

Nami shifted her gaze from Jin to the floor. All this time she'd been thinking about herself and just trying to get Mendy back, when Jin wanted all four of them to be together again.

She grinned. "You're a really great friend, Jin. I'm glad we got to meet each other. You're right, we don't have time to let our emotions get the better of us. We have to find Mendy… and Ayden."

Jin smiled. "Yeah! Let's go!"

His shout of enthusiasm woke Piik up. She sat up, yawned, and looked at Jin and Nami. She looked around the room and wondered what happened. Wasn't she on a boat a moment ago? Where is she? Where's Ayden? She became concerned and stood up.

Jin looked over at Piik and immediately went over to her. "Woah! Wait, Piik! You need to take it easy."

Nami went over and knelt beside the bed too. "Jin's right, Piik, you should go back to sleep and get some rest."

Piik shook her head. She didn't have time for sleep, she wanted to know where Ayden was. Why were they no longer on the boat? Where were they? She wanted them to tell her.

Jin looked at Nami and she nodded.

He took a seat beside Piik and cleared his throat. "I think I know what you want, Piik. You want to know where Ayden is, right?" Piik nodded. "Well, here it is."

* * *

Mendy stood with Ayden in front of the doorway to the engine room. The room was set ablaze and surrounded by a sea of fire. In front of them stood a wounded Chaos grunt who backed up until he was at the edge of the staircase.

Mendy's eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. The sinister smile on his face froze her in fear as well as his words and laughter as he fell backward into the flames.

"We'll keep… coming for you, and… we won't stop. Not until… we get… everything! Heil Team Chaos! Heil Lord Schröder!"

Mendy covered her ears and closed her eyes, as she tried to block out what she just witnessed. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up to see more Team Chaos grunts in front of her, holding Ayden in a headlock.

"Ayden!"

Ayden spoke in between gasps. "Mendy…"

She tried to run toward them, but they all moved to the edge of the staircase the other grunt stood. She saw all of their faces had been twisted to form the same sinister smile the other grunt had. They all chanted "Heil Team Chaos! Heil Lord Schröder!" While backing up toward the flames.

She ran after them, but no matter how fast she ran, she never got any closer. She could hear Ayden calling out to her for help. "Ayden! Hang on! I'm coming!"

She watched in horror as all the grunts fell backward with Ayden into the flames. Each one laughing maniacally and Ayden's cries for help caused tears to stream down her face. She fell to her knees crying and slammed her fists onto the floor.

* * *

Mendy tossed and turned as she slept in the twin-sized bed. The sinister smile, the laughing, Ayden's cries for help, she couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes popped open and she sprang up screaming. It took her a moment to calm down and realize it was all a dream. She held her head as a throbbing pain pounded away at it. She then noticed the bandages on her arms, the new clothes she was wearing, and then her surroundings.

She was in a small room with a single square window. She thought back to what happened and vaguely remembered seeing someone standing over her. Her eyes widened with worry. Had she been kidnapped? Where was she? Who was that person and where was Ayden? She had to find him quickly and escape.

She tried to get out of the bed when the knob to her door turned. She froze as the door widened revealing an elderly couple.

The woman smiled. "Why hello there, dear. How're you feeling? We heard you screaming."

Mendy stared at the two. "Who are you? Where am I and what did you do with Ayden?"

The woman looked at her husband and giggled. "Oh, forgive us, dear. We didn't properly introduce ourselves. My name is Gloria and this is my husband, Simon. If Ayden is the name of the young man you were with, he's fine. He's resting in the other room."

Mendy tried to get out of the bed, but her body froze as the pain rushed through her.

Gloria went up to her and placed her hand on her forehead. "I wouldn't move around too much, dear. You both sustained some injuries. It's a good thing Simon found you two when he did."

Mendy looked at the couple and started to feel a bit more relaxed. They seemed like nice people.

She sighed as she stared at the ceiling. "Thank you, for taking care of us. I'm Mendy, by the way. Wow, we sure are lucky you came by when you did. We had a rough day yesterday."

Simon looked at Gloria then back at Mendy. "Yesterday? Young lady, you two have been out for two days now."

Mendy's eyes widened. "What? Two days!"

Gloria nodded. "Yes, we were beginning to think you two would never wake up, but we're glad you did."

Mendy couldn't believe it. Two days? They've been out for two days straight? She held her head as the thought swam through her mind.

Gloria smiled. "And don't worry about your clothes, I took the liberty of washing and drying them for you. Feel free to freshen up if you'd like. But first thing's first. I'll have some food ready for you in just a bit. You must be starving by now, you poor thing."

Food? Mendy held her stomach as her hunger caught up with her. She felt like she could eat anything for days on end. However, a thought crossed her mind.

She lowered her shoulders and shook her head. "Thank you, I really appreciate it, but I can't eat right now."

Simon knelt down beside her. "Why on earth not? We've been hearing your stomach growling this whole time. Do you not feel well?"

Mendy gripped her sheets and thought back to when Ayden gave her his last chocolate bar. How hungry he must've been, sacrificing his last bit of food for her. She hated herself for not checking how many he had left. Not only that, he gave her his jacket to keep her warm throughout the night. She couldn't think of any reason he'd go through all that just for her, but knew she had to pay him back somehow. Until he ate, she refused to take another bite of food.

"It's just… something I have to do."

* * *

Piik stared at Jin and Nami with a blank expression as Jin finished telling her all the events that had happened. She went berserk again? Who did she hurt? Did she hurt Ayden again? She started crying as she processed all the information. She can't believe she let herself go wild like that again.

Jin placed his hand on her head. "It's okay, Piik. Everything is going to be fine. We haven't given up on rescuing Ayden and Mendy. We just need to come up with a plan. Don't worry, we'll see them both real soon, I promise."

Piik sniffed and looked up at Jin who smiled back.

Nami sat down beside Piik. "Jin's right, Piik. We'll get you reunited with Ayden in no time. I bet he can't wait to see you. So, how about we freshen up and get ready to get this rescue mission underway?"

Piik smiled and perked up at the thought. She wanted to see Ayden as quickly as possible. She had to make sure she didn't hurt him in any way. She stood up and then plopped back down on the bed.

Jin placed his hand on Piik's forehead. "How about you take some more time to rest, Piik. You've been through quite a bit and still need to recover."

Piik sighed and nodded in agreement. She wanted to get started, but she wouldn't be much help to anyone in a weakened state.

Jin smiled. "Don't worry, just a few hours and we'll be on our way. So, what do you think we should do from here?"

Nami crossed her arms. "Well, I'd love to try and search the area again, but like you said, we haven't been able to find anything around here yet."

Jin nodded. "True. I'd say our best bet would be to split up and each search a different area and then meet back up."

Nami leaned back onto the bed. "Maybe we can ask Samantha for those two-way radios again. In any rate, take one of my pokémon and we'll search a different part of the area. We'll meet up back here in a few hours."

Jin smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Let's do it."

* * *

Ayden sat with his tiny hands pressed against the window of the car as it drove him to the Indigo Plateau where he would spend the final hours of his birthday watching the finals of the Pokémon League tournament.

His brother reached over and latched the gold locket around his neck. "This is something very special. Don't ever forget that."

Ayden looked confused as his brother tried to explain the present. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

His brother smiled. "You'll understand someday. Just remember, whenever you feel alone, scared, or at your wits end, just reach for the locket and we'll be there for you, okay?"

Ayden tilted his head, still confused by his brother's words. "Uh, okay. So, this'll bring you to me if I ever get lost or something?"

His brother smiled. "More or less. Just reach for it and we'll be there for you, Ayden. Don't ever forget that. So, promise me you'll take good care of it."

Ayden nodded and smiled. "Okay! I promise to take good care of it!"

The car swerved and hit the guardrail before flipping several times towards the lake below. As soon as it hit the surface, the interior flooded and Ayden found himself struggling to get his seat belt off. In his panic, getting the belt off became an impossible task. He soon lost consciousness as the last of his breath left him.

When he woke up, he found himself lying in a hospital bed. He never liked hospitals. Always gave him a weird feeling. He felt groggy has he slowly looked around the empty room and wondered what happened. He then remembered the accident and his heartrate increased.

Outside his room, he could hear a couple of adults talking. He heard one of them say the others didn't make it and that he was the only survivor. His eyes widened. They couldn't be talking about him, right? It was some other patient obviously. There's no way his family was dead. His brother was about to go on a journey. He made a promise they'd battle each other someday. There's no way he'd break that promise.

The door opened and a middle-aged man walked in. He wore the standard scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck.

He placed his clipboard down and looked over at Ayden. "You're awake already, huh? You seem to be quite the fighter, young man. How're you feeling?"

Ayden looked at him then at his bed sheets. "Where's my mom, and dad, and big brother? Where are they?"

The doctor lowered his shoulders and sighed. He sat on the bed to be at eye-level with Ayden. "Ayden, there's really no easy way to say this, but…,"

Ayden's eyes widened as he was told the news. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not after all the things he and his brother were talking about.

He looked up at the doctor. "You're lying." The doctor was taken aback by this. "You have to be. There's no way they're gone! You have to be lying!"

The doctor went up to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Please, Ayden, try to calm down."

Ayden slapped his hand away. "Go away! You're a liar! They're not gone! I hate you! Just go away!"

Feeling Ayden needed some time alone, the doctor got up and walked out of the room.

Ayden gripped his sheets trying to keep his anger and tears in check. "It's a lie! It's… all a lie! They're not gone! They can't be!" Suddenly, his brother's words about the locket popped into his head. He reached for it as it was still hanging around his neck.

He felt a wave of relief as he held the locket. He knew his family wasn't gone and this proved it. All he had to do was reach for it like his brother said and they'll be right there.

He held the locket and waited, but nothing happened. Confused, he held it tighter, but nothing happened. His heartrate increased again. Why wasn't it working? Where were they? Why weren't they appearing before him?

After a while, Ayden's anger and frustration got the better of him and he took the locket off and threw it to the end of the bed. As the locket landed, it opened up, catching Ayden's attention. He crawled over and gazed at what was inside. He shook as he held the locket and tears fell before he broke down crying. He held the locket close and dug his face into the bed as the reality finally hit him.

* * *

The light of the sunset shined through window and hit Ayden's face as he tossed and turned in his sleep. He gripped the bedsheets and gritted his teeth as the nightmare made him sweat bullets.

He sprang up and gasped for air. He scrambled frantically for his locket and took hold of it the moment he touched it.

As he took in deep breaths, he looked around and realized he was in a bed in a rather small room. He was wrapped in bandages and his clothes had been changed.

He held his head as the pain as well as the memories of the St. Anne resurfaced. "Where… am I?"

His attention drew to the door as it opened. An elderly man entered carrying a tray of bandages and medicine.

He looked over to Ayden and smiled. "Ah, you're finally awake. We were starting to wonder if you'd ever wake up."

Ayden looked up at the man. "We? Who's we? Who are you and where am I? Where's Mendy?" He tried to stand, but his injuries forced him to sit back down.

The old man sat down beside Ayden. "I wouldn't try to move around too much if I were you, young man. You were in quite the state when I found you. And don't worry about your friend. She's in the other room with my wife." He turned toward the door and held his hand to his mouth. "Hey, you two! He's awake!" He turned back to Ayden and began checking his bandages. "And forgive my rudeness, young man, my name is Simon. My wife, Gloria, and I live here. I found you and Mendy lying on the beach completely out cold two days ago."

Ayden's eyes widened. "Two days ago?"

Simon nodded. "Yep. Your clothes and materials were all soaking wet too. We had to get you out of them as soon as possible."

Ayden held his head trying to process everything. "How's Mendy doing?"

Simon smiled. "She woke up just this morning actually. Her stomach hasn't stopped growling ever since and when we offered her some food, she refused. She said she wouldn't eat a single bite until you have."

Ayden's eyes widened. "What?"

Mendy and Gloria soon appeared in the doorway and Mendy made a beeline for Ayden.

She quickly fell to her knees and hugged him. "Ayden! I'm so glad you're okay! How're you feeling?"

Ayden sighed. "Still confused. Why haven't you eaten anything yet? You've been up for almost a full day."

Mendy averted her gaze and dropped her shoulders. "I… just couldn't. Not after what you did for me."

Ayden blinked in confusion. "After what I did?"

Mendy started to feel all her anger returning. "Why? Why did you lie to me? You knew you only had one chocolate bar left, you jerk! You lied and said you had more! And then you nearly froze to death because you gave me your jacket! Just what is it you're trying to do to yourself? You're supposed to be smart! Why are you being such an idiot?" Tears fell down her cheeks. "Why… why did you lie to me?"

Ayden stared at her, thinking back to that morning. She had the same expression then too. He didn't expect her to worry about him so much. Last he checked, she was still mad at him for stealing her bike.

Gloria placed her hand on Mendy's shoulder and smiled. "Say now, why don't we talk about this over a nice hot meal? Lord knows you two could use some food in your bellies."

Simon nodded. "That's a great idea, honey. Why don't you two freshen up while we get dinner ready?"

They both left the room leaving Mendy alone with Ayden. They sat in silence for a few minutes before she wiped away her tears and stood up.

She walked to the door and held the knob in her hand. "Please… don't do things like that anymore, Ayden."

With that, she closed the door behind her.

Ayden sighed and stared at his locket. "I wish I could."

* * *

After they both had a chance to freshen up, Ayden and Mendy sat at the table eating the food Simon and Gloria had prepared for them. They ate as if the food would get up and run away from them, much to Simon and Gloria's amusement.

After talking with them for a bit, Mendy nearly coughed up her food. "Aopulco?"

Simon nodded. "Yes, it's a famous tourist attraction. People come from all over Kanto to relax here on the beach."

Ayden set down his silverware. "Then, that means we're still close to Vermillion City."

Gloria smiled. "That's correct. Imagine our shock when Simon found you two on the shore. The two missing trainers from the St. Anne tragedy. They had a funeral for you and everything."

Mendy perked up. "Wait! The St. Anne! Nami and Jin! We have to call them and let them know we're okay!"

Ayden nodded. "Right. We also need to get our pokémon to the Center. Would it be okay to use your phone?"

Simon nodded and pointed to the living room. "Of course, feel free." He turned toward a knocking on the door. "Please continue eating. I'll be back in a minute."

When he left the room, Gloria turned to Ayden and Mendy. "When you've finished your call, do make sure to take it easy. Your injuries may not have been severe, but you two did just wake up after two days."

Mendy looked at Ayden and nodded. "Don't worry, as soon as we tell our friends where we are, we'll wait for them."

Gloria smiled. "That's good. As for your pokémon, it might not be much, but we can do a little healing before you make it to the Pokémon Center. Showers, dear, could you come here for a moment?"

Soon a Vaporeon appeared around the corner and walked into the room. It was a small light-blue pokémon with black eyes and nose, a white fin encircling its neck and three fins with cream-colored webbing on its head. Its tail was split making it appear to look like a mermaid. The moment Mendy laid eyes on it she fell in love.

Gloria reached down and picked Vaporeon up. "This is Showers. She's been with us for quite some time."

Mendy ran over and stared at the water pokémon with hearts in her eyes. She had always wanted a Vaporeon. "Oh, she is so cute! Can I hold her?"

Gloria laughed nervously. "Well, you can try, but Showers doesn't take too well with strangers. But, maybe you'll have better luck."

Gloria handed her to Mendy. The moment Mendy started to pet her, she growled, tackled her in the head, and then ran back into Gloria's hands.

Mendy held her head. "Ow! Hey! What was that for?"

Gloria laughed. "See? You do have good luck. Usually Showers bites, scratches and launches one of her attacks at strangers, but you got away with just a tackle to the head. Good for you, dear."

Mendy rubbed her head while Gloria continued laughing. "Yeah, lucky me."

Gloria petted Showers' head. "Now, Showers, let's not be rude to our guests. Could you use Aqua Ring on their pokémon to heal them up a bit?"

Mendy noticed how comfortable Showers seemed being with Gloria. Looking at them made her smile. "So, is Showers yours? How long have you had her?"

Gloria shook her head. "Showers is actually still a wild pokémon."

Mendy gasped. "Really? She's still wild? You've never caught her?"

Gloria nodded. "Yes. I found Showers one day half-starved and decided to take it in and give it some food and shelter. After a while, Showers would take her leave, but she would always come back."

They all turned to see Simon fall backward onto the floor. "What is the meaning of this?"

Gloria, Ayden and Mendy ran into the room and saw a pudgy short bald man in a black business suit walk into the house with two large bodyguards behind him.

Gloria knelt down to help Simon. "Honey, are you all right? Mr. Salerne, please that's enough!"

Salerne walked into the living room and pulled out a cigar from his jacket pocket. After one of his bodyguards lit it, he puffed a large cloud of smoke and handed his fedora to the other.

He walked up to Simon and Gloria and smiled, showing a mouth full of yellow teeth. "You two realize your debt is way past due. I don't like it when I'm kept waiting for my money."

Simon staggered to get up. "We'll get you your money! But we need some more time! We haven't had as many customers lately and-,"

"Sounds like a personal problem. Look, I'll make it real easy for you. You have until the end of tomorrow to get me my money. Otherwise, I'll be coming for your pretty little house and everything in it."

Gloria's eyes widened and she stood up to face the bodyguards and look down at Salerne. "No! You can't do th-," she froze when one of the bodyguards pulled a gun to her face.

Salerne chuckled. "You were saying? I don't think you fully comprehend the situation here. I loaned you money, and I want it back. It's as simple as that. Now, I'm a reasonable guy, which is why I'm giving you until the end of tomorrow to come up with the cash or else I get your house and toss you two out into the street. You get it now?"

Gloria's knees gave out and she fell to the floor. With that, Salerne and his men walked out of the house. As soon as they left, Ayden and Mendy rushed to their side.

Mendy lifted Gloria up. "Simon, Gloria, are you two all right? Who was that guy?"

Gloria shook her head. "No one you need to worry about, dear. Just please forget you heard anything."

Ayden shook his head. "Don't think we can do that. Please, tell us who that guy was. Maybe we can help you."

Gloria turned to Simon and they both nodded. Simon got up and ushered them to the kitchen table.

When everyone had settled into their seats, Simon cleared his throat. "Okay, here's the story. You see, we've managed this little restaurant here for over twenty years. We've always loved the summer time and watching the beach fill up with visitors. Then, times got harder as the years went on. One year, a huge typhoon came through and damaged our restaurant. We didn't have the money to repair it, not until Salerne came. He loaned us the money to repair the restaurant, but we haven't been able to raise enough to pay it back. We haven't had many customers come by lately. And if we don't pay off the debt by tomorrow, he'll take away our house. We've been living here for over forty years."

Ayden and Mendy looked at each other. Gloria continued where Simon left off. "The real reason we haven't been able to generate more customers lately, is because Salerne built his own restaurant not too far from ours. While I can't deny it is big and fancy, he's been stealing our customers making it much harder for us to pay back the debt. He simply wants our home so he can sell it and expand his property."

Mendy gasped. "That's terrible! You can't let him get away with that!"

Simon shook his head. "There's nothing we can do."

Mendy dropped her shoulders and averted her eyes to the kitchen table. She gazed at the newspaper Simon was reading and an ad caught her attention.

She picked it up and her eyes widened. "Wait! What about this?" She waved the ad in their faces with a smile. "There's a tournament being held tomorrow and the grand prize is a cash sum!"

Gloria nodded. "Yes, we already saw that ad. They hold the tournament once every year, but we can't enter it. We never were trainers."

Mendy balled her fists. "Then, what if we entered the tournament for you?"

Simon and Gloria stared at them with stunned expressions.

Ayden lightly smiled. "That's a great idea. It's the least we can do after what you've done for us."

Simon waved them down. "Oh no, we couldn't ask you to do that."

Mendy slammed her hands onto the table. "Think nothing of it. We want to do it. We can't just sit by and let that jerk take your house and everything you've worked for. Right, Ayden?"

Ayden nodded. "She's right. We'd like to help you in any way we can."

Simon looked at Gloria and they both smiled. "Well, it looks like we won't be able to change your minds no matter what, huh?" He bowed his head. "Thank you."

Mendy smiled and nodded. "You two won't have to worry about a thing. With the two of us competing, the cash is as good as yours. You wouldn't believe how great a trainer Ayden is. Our win is practically guaranteed with him in."

Ayden picked up the ad and then tugged on Mendy's arm. "You might want to check again on that."

Mendy took the ad and read it over. Her eyes soon widened in shock. "What? A water pokémon race!"

Ayden nodded. "You need a team of two water types in order to compete. Last I checked, we only had one between the two of us."

The news hit Mendy harder than she thought it would. How could she overlook such an important detail?

She slunk in her seat and sighed. "Great. Now what are we supposed to do?"

Gloria thought for a moment and smiled. "Well, if you're down a water type, why not ask Showers if she'd lend a hand?"

Mendy turned to Gloria as she petted Showers, sleeping on her lap. "Really? That's a great idea! What do you think, Showers? Wanna enter the race with me?"

Showers looked up a Mendy, yawned, then went back to sleep.

Mendy dropped her shoulders and laughed nervously. "I think we could use some more help. Gloria, may we use your phone?"

* * *

Nami and Jin returned to their room in the Pokémon Center after an unsuccessful search. Jin plopped on his bed and heaved a sigh. "I can't believe we still couldn't find them. After all that searching too."

Nami shook her head. "I know, but we'll keep looking until we do."

Jin nodded. "Yeah, let's get some sleep and start again tomorrow." Piik woke up and walked up to Jin. Jin smiled and petted her head. "Don't worry, Piik. We'll find them soon. I promise."

The phone to their room rang, drawing their attention. Nami pushed off the bed and walked toward it. "I got it. Hello?"

"Nami? It's Mendy."

Nami nearly dropped the phone and her heart skipped several beats. Her voice, it was unmistakable. She was alive. She knew she was this whole time.

Tears filled her eyes as her voice began to break. "Mendy… Mendy! Oh, my God! I can't believe it!"

Jin found the energy to jump off the bed and run toward Nami. "Mendy? She's on the line? How's she doing? Is Ayden with her? Where are they?"

Mendy could hear Jin asking multiple questions and Nami quieting him down. She sniffed back tears as she was glad they were safe as well. "Nami, Jin, it's so good to hear your voices again. Yes, Ayden and I are doing fine. We're still a little banged up from the storm, but all in all, we're good."

Nami couldn't take it anymore. "Well… where are you? We've been searching for you for days!"

Mendy sighed. "I'm sorry we put you two through all that. We actually got washed up on Aopulco."

Nami and Jin screamed into the phone. "Aopulco?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, it's a little ways outside of Vermillion City."

Nami tightened her grip on the phone. "Don't move! We're coming to get you and bring you back as soon as we can, okay?"

Mendy giggled. "Thanks, but we're doing okay. We lucked out and got taken in by Gloria and Simon. They're the ones who found us and treated our injuries. And now, we need to pay them back, and we need your help."

Nami and Jin looked at each other. "Wait, what do you mean?"

* * *

After Mendy finished explaining the situation, Nami nodded. "Yeah, no problem, we'll definitely be there, and we're more than happy to help out. A race actually sounds like a lot of fun."

Mendy beamed. "Great! Thank you! This is so awesome! Can't wait to see you guys tomorrow."

Nami smiled. "Can't wait to see you too. Bye for now." She hung up the phone and turned to Jin. "Okay, first thing tomorrow, we're headed for Aopulco."

Jin nodded. "Right! You hear that, Piik! Ayden's doing just fine and we're going to see him tomorrow!"

Piik jumped up with more energy than she had ever felt in the past few days. She knew he was alive and couldn't wait to see him.

As Jin and Piik danced around the room in celebration, Nami kept to herself and held her hand to her heart as a tear ran down her cheek.

* * *

Salerne sat with his feet propped up on a wooden table sipping down a glass of whiskey. On opposite sides of him, snuggling up against him, were two scantily-clad women. One had a bottle of whiskey ready to refill his glass while the other held a lighter for his cigar.

One of his bodyguards, a large square-chinned man, came up to him and bowed. "Excuse me, sir, your racer has arrived."

Salerne smiled. "Send him in."

With that, the bodyguard bowed again and ushered in a lanky medium-sized man with shoulder-length blonde hair and green eyes. He sat at the other end of the wooden table and waited for Salerne to dismiss his lady companions.

When the room was just the two of them and the bodyguard, Salerne puffed a cloud of smoke and turned his attention to the young man. "Well, Riley, is it that time of the year again?"

Riley nodded. "Yeah, and I want the same service as all the other times. I want that prize money."

Salerne nodded. "Of course, of course, my friend. We'll make sure to take care of the competition for you. You just focus on the race and we'll take care of the rest. Now, normally we'd split the prize money thirty-seventy, but since you're such a loyal customer, we'll let you keep an additional ten percent. How's that sound?"

Riley smiled malevolently. "That sounds delicious, as the real prize for me is mostly the title and fame. Thank you, Mister Salerne."

Salerne smiled just as malevolently. "Think nothing of it, kid. You just make sure you win that race tomorrow. We'll make sure no one gets across that finish line but you."

* * *

 *****Good evening, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!** **Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts on the story and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it. Chapter 17 will be posted around the same time next month, so look forward to it and have great night!**


	17. The Aopulco Pokémon Race

**Welcome, everyone, to chapter 17 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!** **Please view the message at the end of the chapter for an update! Thank you!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 17**

The next morning, Ayden and Mendy were awoken by the sounds of Simon and Gloria as they readied their shop for the customers.

Mendy opened the door to her room and saw them both running around getting everything in order. "Simon, Gloria, what's the hurry?"

Gloria stopped in front of her as she carried several trays and silverware. "I'm sorry, dear, did we wake you? Please forgive the ruckus, we're just trying to get our shop ready before Salerne does. Maybe we'll be able to get more customers in."

Mendy lowered her shoulders as she thought back to the conversation they had last night. If they didn't pay off their debt by the end of today, Salerne would take their house. She balled her hands. She couldn't let that happen. "Gloria, please let me help with the customers."

Gloria looked at her in shock. "But, dear, you've already volunteered to compete in the race. You don't have to-,"

Ayden stepped out of his room. "I'd like to help out as well. I can't contribute to the race, but I can help serve your customers."

Simon and Gloria looked at each other. They knew they could always use more help around the restaurant. Gloria sighed and smiled. "Well, thank you both. We really don't know what to say. If you feel that strongly about it, then please come with us. We'll get you both fitted for your uniforms. Mendy, please come with me; and Ayden, please go with Simon."

They went their separate ways and Gloria led Mendy to one of the back rooms. Inside, she revealed the outfit she'd be wearing. "I believe this should be your size."

Mendy took the outfit and laughed nervously. She was starting to get second thoughts about being able to handle the job of a waitress.

* * *

After a bit, Mendy stepped out wearing her uniform; a white collared shirt underneath a black vest with a red bowtie and a black pencil skirt.

She blushed as Gloria looked her over. "Why yes, everything looks good. You pull this look off very well, my dear."

Mendy smiled. "Thanks, Gloria. Just hope I don't mess anything up. I've never done anything like this before."

Gloria shook her head. "You've nothing to worry about. You'll do fine. And I'll be there to show you everything you need to know. So you can just relax."

Mendy nodded and headed into the kitchen. There she found Simon getting the stove ready and then spotted Ayden wearing a similar outfit as her, but with dress pants and a necktie. She didn't know why, but her heart started beating faster. She had to admit, he looked quite handsome in his uniform. He turned to her and she blushed. She suddenly remembered she wasn't ready for him to see her in this outfit. The longer she thought about that, the redder her face became. She didn't think it'd be this embarrassing.

Ayden walked over. "So, you ready?"

Mendy straightened up and cleared her throat. "Um… yeah, I'm ready. Why do you ask? Do I not look ready? Of course I'm ready. It's not like I'm nervous or anything. I mean I'm not nervous about wearing this uniform in front of people and taking their orders and all. How about you? What am I talking about? Of course you're ready. You're always ready. I mean, you could probably handle any kind of crowd, right? You're not nervous at all. I mean, aren't you nervous?"

Ayden shook his head as she went into a fit of nervous laughter. "There's nothing to be nervous about. You look great and you're going to do well. You kept your cool when we were trapped on the ship, remember? So I know you've got this. Come on, let's get ready for the customers."

As he left, Mendy stood frozen. She couldn't wrap her head around that he said she "looked great".

* * *

The beach soon became populated with hundreds of people relaxing on the sand, surfing on the waves, or going into one of the dozens of restaurants. Opening hours for Salerne's luxury restaurant had just started and already people were lined up anxiously waiting to be seated. It didn't take long for the restaurant to be filled up.

At the end of the line, a teenage couple stood in their swimwear. They'd been told their waiting time to be seated would be over an hour.

The female teenager turned to her boyfriend as she wrapped her arms around his. "This is taking forever. I thought you said we'd get to eat here for breakfast."

The male turned to her. "I know, baby, I didn't think it'd fill up this fast."

She groaned and pulled him away. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'm hungry and tired of waiting."

* * *

Ayden and Mendy stood in front of Simon and Gloria's restaurant, waiting to serve their first customers, only to be disappointed at the lack of people approaching them.

Mendy pulled up a chair and heaved a sigh. "Well, we've been open for two hours and have officially served no one. What are we going to do?"

Gloria walked up and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Don't fret, my dear. This always happens. Salerne and his five-star restaurant are always pulling customers away from us. Even though his business takes forever to seat people and it's expensive to boot."

Mendy rested her head on her hand. "All the more reason for people to come to your restaurant instead." She looked up when she saw a teenage couple walking toward them.

The female teenager pulled her boyfriend along as they walked. "I can't believe it'll take over an hour to be served breakfast at every single restaurant on this beach!" She let go of his arm and crossed hers. "If you hadn't taken forever to get ready this morning, we would've been able to have breakfast by now!"

The male looked at her. "Hey, don't blame this on me! You're the one who just had to eat at that particular restaurant no matter what!"

As their argument escalated, Mendy approached them. "Good morning, you two! I couldn't help overhearing you are looking for a place to have breakfast. Well, look no further and come right over to Simon and Gloria's!"

The couple took a look at the restaurant then turned to each other. The female turned her head away and scoffed. "Looks like a dump."

Her boyfriend looked at her. "Well, maybe it won't be so bad. Everywhere else is full anyway. Table for two, please."

Mendy smiled. "Table for two it is. Please follow me."

* * *

Officer Jenny got into her patrol car and fastened her seatbelt when she saw Nami and Jin running toward her in her side mirror.

She lowered her window and looked at the two as they caught their breath. "Nami, Jin? What's wrong?"

Nami placed her hands on the door. "Officer Jenny! We need a ride to Aopulco! We got a call from Mendy last night! She and Ayden are both alive!"

Jenny's eyes widened. "What? Really?"

Jin nodded. "Yes, can you please take us there?"

Jenny smiled. "Yes, of course. Hop in. I'd be really interested to hear all the details about this one."

With that, Nami and Jin got into the patrol car and Jenny took off down the road.

* * *

The teenage couple sat quietly as they waited for their food. The female looked around and felt disgusted by the rustic feel of the restaurant.

She crossed her arms and clicked her tongue. "This place really needs to upgrade their look. The food better be worth it."

Soon, Mendy came through the doors carrying two plates of food as quickly and carefully as she could. She never served food before and she had to admit, it was more difficult than she gave it credit for.

She placed both plates in front of the couple and smiled. "Sorry for the wait, please let us know if there is anything else you need. I'll be coming by to check on you in a bit."

She bowed and walked away, leaving the couple alone to stare at their plates of scrambled eggs and pancakes.

The male teenager picked up his fork and took a bite of the eggs. His girlfriend looked at him with intense curiosity, but soon jumped back in surprise as his eyes lit up. "These are amazing! Have to be the best eggs I've ever tasted!"

He continued to gobble up the eggs, leaving his girlfriend wondering if they really were that good. She took a forkful of eggs and took a bite. Soon, she too exclaimed just how amazing they were.

Mendy and Gloria watched them from behind the door as they finished off their meal. Mendy giggled. "Yes! I knew they'd like your food!"

Gloria nodded. "Yes, excellent work, dear, but we'll need more customers than them if we have a chance at keeping our restaurant."

Mendy thought for a moment and then turned to Ayden. "Ayden do you think you could…,"

Ayden nodded and took a pokéball out. "I was thinking the same thing."

* * *

The line in front of Salerne's restaurant continued to increase with the customers growing more and more irritated. They soon looked to the sky as a Fearow flew above them scattering fliers throughout the beach.

Those waiting in line read the fliers and began to chat amongst themselves. The fliers advertised Simon and Gloria's restaurant as being inexpensive and the best dining experience in Aopulco.

Several customers got out of the line for Salerne's and headed over to Simon and Gloria's. More and more customers began to show up to the point Ayden had to call out Heracross to help with serving the food.

A few guys looked at Mendy as she handed another table their meals. They whispered to each other at how beautiful she looked. As discrete as they tried to be, she could easily hear them and her face reddened. She bowed and walked back to the kitchen when she saw Ayden handing meals out to a table of girls.

Each girl had hearts in their eyes as Ayden smoothly placed each plate in front of them. "Sorry for the wait, ladies. That's three mid-morning specials. Please take the time to enjoy it. I promise you won't be disappointed."

The girls nodded and continued to stare at him as he walked away. Mendy eyed them all and her grip on her tray tightened to the point she slightly bent it. It reminded her of the girls from the St. Anne and her irritation increased.

She then heard a voice in the distance that snapped her out of her train of thought. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she heard it. She turned around and saw Nami standing in the distance.

Nami breathed heavily as sweat fell down her brow. She could barely believe it. After all this time, she'd finally found her. As if the world had stopped and left them alone, Nami could only see Mendy. With tears in her eyes, she ran through the beach toward her.

Mendy dropped her tray, causing every customer to turn their attention to her, and ran toward Nami.

Nami ran as fast as she could until she finally embraced Mendy. "Mendy! I can't believe it! I was so worried about you! I knew you were alive! I just knew it! I'm so glad you're all right!"

Mendy sniffed back tears as she hugged Nami back. "Nami! I can't believe you're here! I was worried too! I missed you so much!" With tears streaming down her face, Nami hugged Mendy as tightly as she could. She didn't want to ever let her go again. "How did you get here so fast?"

"I gave her a ride in my patrol car." Mendy looked up to see Jenny standing over them with Jin behind her.

Mendy beamed when she saw him. "Jin! Oh my God! I can't believe you're both here!" She turned toward the kitchen. "Ayden! Come quick! Nami and Jin are here!"

Ayden appeared and was instantly tackled by Piik. She nuzzled and hugged him as tightly as she could before breaking down crying.

Ayden lightly smiled and petted her. "It's great to see you, Piik. I'm glad you're doing well."

Piik looked at him and sniffed back tears. She couldn't remember a time she was so happy.

Soon, Jin ran up to the both of them. "Dude! You're alive! You're alive! You're alive! I knew you'd be okay! We were so worried about you two! How'd you two escape the ship?"

Jenny walked up and hovered over the two boys. "I need to head back, but I'll contact Captain Cuttingham and let him know you two are all right."

Ayden nodded. "Thank you, Officer Jenny. Jin, we'd be more than happy to explain everything, but right now, we have to help Simon and Gloria with these customers. Can we get your help?"

Jin nodded. "Of course, man! Whatever you need, I've got your back!"

Mendy turned to Nami. "Will you help us too?"

Nami took a step back and begrudgingly gazed upon Mendy in her uniform. "Will I have to wear that?"

* * *

As the morning rush started to die down, Salerne paid a visit to his restaurant. He stepped out of his limo and saw his waiters and waitresses standing around bored. "What is the meaning of this? Get back to work! Where are all the customers?"

One of the waiters turned to him. "Sir, we started losing all of the customers a while ago. Some bird flew around delivering fliers or something."

Salerne walked outside and picked up a flier. After reading it over, he crumpled the paper in his fist. "Damn old buzzards! Stubborn to the end. No matter. We'll just have to break their newly lifted spirits." He took his cigar and burned the flier.

* * *

Customers continued to come to the restaurant and Jin and Nami were ready to help. Jin wore an apron over his clothes to help Simon in the kitchen, while Nami wore the same uniform as Ayden.

Jin took notice and turned to Nami. "Hey, I thought that was the boys' uniform. Why aren't you wearing the same one as Mendy?"

Nami crossed her arms. "Cause, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a skirt. No thanks to that."

They continued serving the customers with Ayden and Mendy greatly appreciating the extra help.

Nami handed the meals down to a couple of guys wearing otaku shirts. "Okay, here. That's two mid-morning specials with extra bacon. Later."

As she walked away, one of them called out to her. "Wait! Is this one of those restaurants where you cast a spell on the meal to make it taste better? I'd greatly appreciate it if you did!"

Nami turned toward him and grabbed him by the shirt. "You must be crazy if you think for one second I'd do something as embarrassing as that! Don't go thinking I'm into that crap, pal!"

The customer looked at her for a moment before blushing. "You remind me of my favorite anime character! Can you shout at me some more?"

Nami cringed at the thought that her yelling at him gave him pleasure. She backed away from him and saw a few male customers talking to Mendy. She furrowed her brow as she watched them try to hit on her. She had to admit Mendy looked cute in her uniform, but she couldn't allow anyone to put the moves on her.

Mendy blushed and averted her eyes as one of the male customers laughed. "Oh, come on, you're just saying that."

The customer shook his head. "No, I mean it. You're really cute. Do you want to hang out later?"

Mendy shook her head. "I'm sorry, thank you for asking, but I already have something I need to…,"

She trailed off when she saw Nami walk briskly by her and get in the customers' face. "Sorry, pal, but she's already booked. So, why don't you just finish your meal and hit the road?"

The customer stood up and glared at her. "What did you say?"

Nami glared back. He stood a foot taller than her, but she couldn't have cared less. "You heard me."

Mendy shrieked, grabbed Nami by the arm, and pulled her away. "Nami! What are you doing? You can't talk like that to a customer! We need as many of them as possible! Did you forget the reason we're doing this in the first place?"

Nami clicked her tongue. "Yeah, fine, whatever."

Mendy breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to the customer. "I'm sorry for what happened. Please forgive her." She then turned to Nami. "Nami, apologize!"

Nami rolled her eyes, dropped her shoulders, and bowed. "I'm truly sorry for my actions. Please forgive my rudeness."

As Nami apologized to the customer, Mendy looked up to see Ayden getting pulled by the arm by a girl wearing a two-piece bikini.

The girl brushed her chest up to his arm. "So, just wanted you to know you're really hot. You busy later?"

Before Ayden could reply, Mendy got in between them and glared at the girl. "I'm sorry, miss, but Ayden is busy for the rest of the day. He won't have time to hang out with you later."

The girl glared back. "And what does it matter to you? You his girlfriend?"

Mendy's face reddened. "What? Are you crazy? No! Of course not!"

As they argued, Nami crossed her arms and watched the spectacle. "And what exactly was she saying to me just a moment ago?"

Before she went back to work, the sprinkler system activated, dousing all the customers and causing them to flee the restaurant.

Mendy, Ayden, and Nami ran into the kitchen to see what had happened to discover Simon, Gloria, and Jin fighting a grease fire. They all grabbed a towel to smolder it. When they put the fire out and the sprinklers stopped, they looked around at the damage the restaurant had sustained.

Nami turned to Jin. "What the hell happened?"

Jin shrugged. "That's the thing, we don't know. Everything was going fine and then we had this huge grease fire on our hands."

Mendy looked out at the dining area. "And thanks to the sprinklers, we won't be getting any customers any time soon."

Simon sank to the floor. "What are we going to do? We don't have time to clean up and we're still nowhere near our goal to pay off the debt."

"I wouldn't give up just yet." Everyone turned to Ayden as he inspected the stove. "I don't think this was an accident. Someone deliberately sabotaged your stove."

Jin knelt down and took a look at the stove as well. "You're right. This has been tampered with, but who could've done such a thing and why?"

Ayden looked up at Mendy. "I can think of someone."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, that Salerne guy. He's probably the one behind all this."

Nami crossed her arms. "Wait. Salerne? Who's that?"

Ayden turned to her. "A tycoon who's been trying to drive Simon and Gloria out of business with debt. If they don't pay it off by the end of the day, he'll take their home."

Jin stood up. "That's terrible! We can't let him do that!"  
Nami punched her palm. "I say we march over to wherever he is and kick his ass!"

"Kick my ass? Is that something a young maiden should be saying?" They all turned to see Salerne and his bodyguards at the entrance of the restaurant. Salerne smiled. "Simon, Gloria, I just wanted to check up on you two and see how you were doing. With all the customers you had coming in today, surely you must've raised enough money to pay off your debt. Am I right? But it appears you've had a bit of an accident. Everything is covered in water. What could've possibly happened?"

Mendy balled her hands and gritted her teeth. She couldn't take it anymore. "You know very well what happened! You sabotaged Simon's stove and caused the sprinkler system to go off!"

Salerne looked at her. "That's quite an accusation there, young lady. Do you have any evidence to back up that claim?" When Mendy didn't answer, Salerne grinned. "I didn't think so. Well Simon, Gloria, if you two are done, I have customers to take care of as well as a race to win. I expect to see the money you owe me by the end of the day."

With that, he and his men walked out of the restaurant, laughing maniacally.

Mendy glared at him as he left. "We'll see about that."

* * *

The afternoon sun shined brightly as many beach goers gathered around for the start of the beach's most famous event. The contestants soon entered the arena and proceeded to get themselves ready. They all stood on floating platforms that looked like mini chariots with their pokémon harnessed to reins held by the trainers.

As the fireworks went off, the announcer soon came on. He cleared his voice as he adjusted the mic. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the annual Aopulco Water Pokémon Race!" At that, the audience cheered and clapped. "I hope you're all ready for a spectacle, cause I have a feeling this year's competition will be the most fierce we've ever seen! We have a large roster of racers all eager to get out onto the water and speed toward the ten thousand dollar grand prize! And returning is the reigning champion, Riley! He and his Seadra and Corphish have proven to be an unbeatable team for the past two years! Can he make this a three-peat, or will someone finally dethrone the champ?"

Riley stood on his chariot and waved to the cheering crowd. Mendy and Nami watched as he immodestly took in the praises.

Nami rolled her eyes. "Jeez! Just how full of it is this guy?"

Mendy shook her head. "Ignore him. We have to focus on winning this thing. Squirtle, Showers, are you two ready?"

Squirtle nodded while Showers simply turned the other way. Squirtle moved up close to her and held her by the chin. His voice deepened and he spoke to her as suave as he could. After listening to him, Showers used her tail and slapped him across the face.

Mendy stood stunned as Squirtle recovered from the blow. "Showers, stop hitting your teammate! And Squirtle, stop hitting on your teammate! Come on, you guys! This is for Gloria and Simon so they can keep their house! We can't be arguing amongst ourselves!"

Squirtle chuckled apologetically while Showers again turned the other way. She didn't understand why she had to compete in this stupid race with this girl. Just who did she think she was? Just suddenly announcing she was teaming up with her for this race. It's just going to be like before. She's going to use her for her abilities and then toss her aside. The same story all over again.

From the stands, Jin, Ayden, Simon, and Gloria watched as Mendy struggled to get her team in order.

Jin placed his binoculars down and sighed. "Looks like Mendy's already having a rough time and the race hasn't even started."

Gloria shook her head. "I was afraid this would happen. Showers isn't the type to get along with others so easily. It takes a long while for her to warm up to people."

Riley flipped back his hair as he gazed at the scene Mendy was creating and smiled. "If this is my competition, I won't even need Salerne's help winning this year."

The announcer came back as the cheering from the audience began to die down. "Now, before we get started, let's go over the rules of the race for all the newcomers who are either participating, watching from the stands, or tuning in at home! The rules are very simple! You and your team of two water-type pokémon must race from the starting point all the way through the course to the finish line. Trainers are required to grab one of the flags posted in the middle of the course. The first one to reach the finish line with their flag in hand is the winner! Substitutions as well as attacking your opponents are not allowed! If the trainer falls into the water, goes outside the designated racing area, or uses outside interference for help, they are disqualified! Now, if everyone is ready, let's begin! The race will begin when the green light flashes!"

Everyone turned their attention to the signal in the shape of a traffic light. They all held their breaths as the light turned from red to yellow, then to green. At that, the buzzer chimed and the racers took off.

Mendy wobbled trying to regain her balance as Squirtle and Showers swam. She didn't think it'd be this difficult. She looked ahead and saw Riley speeding ahead of everyone else with a large grin on his face. She caught up to Nami and they both gave a nod. "Guess he's not all talk after all!"

Nami furrowed her brow. "Yeah, he's not half bad, but he's still not going to beat us! Come on, let's go!"

Mendy smiled and they continued through the course. As they rounded the first turn, they heard the announcer come back on. "The race has already started, and to no one's surprise, Riley has taken an early lead and seems to be gaining some distance. Oh! What's this? It looks like several racers have already fallen into the water! According to the rules, they are disqualified!"

Mendy and Nami looked back to see the other racers swimming to the surface holding half of their reins while their pokémon continued to swim away from them.

Mendy turned to Nami. "What do you think happened?"

Nami shrugged. "No idea, but let's not worry about them right now! We've gotta catch up to that guy!"

The crowd continued their cheering as the remaining racers continued. Gloria felt relieved when she saw Mendy and Nami. "Oh my. I don't know if I can take all this excitement."

Simon held her hand. "Don't worry. I'm sure those two will be just fine. Their friends don't seem to be too worried."

Gloria leaned over and looked at Ayden and Jin as they both stared fixedly at the jumbo screen.

Ayden sat with Piik sitting in his lap and Jin right next to him. They spoke to each in whispers to not alert anyone else. "What do you make of it?"

Jin nodded. "Yeah, something's definitely not right. It's really weird to have you sitting in the stands for a change."

Ayden sighed as Jin chuckled to himself. "I meant the race. I know you must've seen it too."

Jin nodded again. "Yeah, I got ya. Those racers didn't lose control over their reins, something happened to them. To have that many racers getting knocked out of the competition by the same problem? Something's not adding up. Those reins were tampered with."

Ayden nodded. "I agree. Let's keep a closer eye on things."

As the racers continued through the course, the announcer came back on. "And it looks like our racers have managed to get through the first part of the course, ladies and gentlemen! As usual, Riley is in the lead by a wide margin! Coming up behind him is the majority of the other racers, and behind them, are the last minute entries into the race, contestants Mendy and Nami! Will they be able to make a comeback and pull ahead?"

Nami zoomed through the course with Staryu and Marill. She looked back and saw Mendy slowly advancing. She pulled back until she was next to her. "You doing okay?"

Mendy smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine! Keep going! Don't worry about us! We'll catch up soon!"

Nami, unsure whether to leave her like this, nodded and continued ahead. Mendy looked on and saw how amazing Nami was; moving effortlessly through the water with her pokémon. She wished she could connect with her pokémon as well as she could. She shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now. She had to focus on the race.

She looked at her pokémon and saw Squirtle still trying to hit on Showers, and her attacking him to keep him away. "All right, you two, knock it off! We've got to cooperate with each other! Squirtle, stop hitting on Showers! Come on! Let's get back in this thing!"

In her annoyance from Squirtle hitting on her and Mendy acting like she owns her, Showers turned toward Mendy and fired a Water Gun to her face. The force nearly knocked Mendy off her board.

When she regained her balance, she looked at Showers. "Showers! What was that for?" Showers turned her head away and Mendy tightened her grip on the reins. "What's with you? Don't you care what happens to Simon and Gloria? They're the ones who took you in! Is this how you're gonna repay them?"

Her words made Showers think back to the day when Gloria found her. She had just been abandoned by the people she'd thought to be family. She'd been with them ever since she was a baby Eevee. She never thought they would just discard her after all they've been through. They only wanted her to evolve into a Vaporeon to have her be sold to collectors. When it came down to it, money was more important to them than her. She was lucky she was able to escape them when she did.

After wandering around for days, she passed out in an alley where Gloria found her. Since then, she and Simon took care of her and made sure she was well. Though, that didn't erase the pain and anger she had for humans. They all have a motive. She was just waiting for Simon and Gloria to reveal theirs.

Even this girl, Mendy, had a motive; to win this race, and she needed her to do it. And then what? Once the race was over, she'll take the money and forget her just like everyone else. However, she did have a point. After all Gloria and Simon did for her, she could at least try to win for them.

Nami looked back and smiled when she saw Mendy was slowly but steadily catching up. "Okay, Staryu, Marill, let's keep it up!"

Riley continued his lead and smiled as he and his pokémon effortlessly zipped through the second portion of the race, a large area littered with boulders and pillars.

The announcer's voice boomed throughout the stadium. "Looks like Riley has made it through part two of the race! He's closing in on the midway mark where he'll pick up his flag to take to the finish line!"

He as well as the audience watched as the other racers made it to part two, but several were knocked off their chariots. Nami approached the area and dodged the boulders and pillars as well as the other racers.

She looked at several of them and noticed their chariots were torn apart. "What the…? How did that happen?"

The announcer chimed back in. "Oh! Looks like several more contestants have been knocked out of the race! We only have a handful of racers left! Will any of them be able to catch up to Riley?"

Riley smugly grinned. "Fat chance. This race is all mine. Thanks to Salerne and his men knocking out the competition."

The announcer as well as the audience watched as he rounded a corner and snatched a flag. The cheers of the audience grew thunderous as he continued. "Looks like Riley is on his way to a three-peat, folks! He's just snatched his flag and his making his way to the third part of the race! We have a few other racers who are on his tail, but he seems unfazed by their challenge! What's this?" He fell silent as Nami rounded the corner and snatched a flag too. "Unbelievable, folks! Last minute entry, Nami, has rounded the corner and is catching up to Riley! What amazing speed! She's advanced from last place all the way back up to the rest of the racers!"

Mendy, with difficulty, managed to get through the second portion of the race and sped through to the midway point with her flag in hand. "Bringing up the rear is contestant Mendy! She seems to have been having a rough time in this race, but looks like she's not giving up without a fight!"

Squirtle struggled to swim with Showers barely pulling her weight. Mendy looked down and saw she wasn't even trying. "Come on, Showers! You have to help too! This is for Gloria and Simon, remember? We're going to lose if we keep this up!"

Showers remained uninterested as Squirtle continued to pull everything by himself. Mendy thought about what she was going to do. There was no way they could win like this.

Riley looked over his shoulder and saw the other racers behind him. He scowled and placed his finger to his ear. "Hey! I thought I was leading by a mile! Get these idiots out of the race! I shouldn't be seeing anyone behind me!"

On the other end, a couple of Salerne's men sat in waiting. One was a tall thin man while the other was short and chubby. They both wore business suits with sunglasses.

The tall one placed his finger to his ear. "Don't worry, kid. Just keep going. We're about to wipe out the rest of the competition for ya."

Nami sped toward the other racers as they all inched closer to Riley. She felt like she could actually win this whole thing now. She just had a little further to go.

As the other racers approached Riley, one of Salerne's men fired at dart at a racer's Tentacool. Agitated by the attack, Tentacool turned and fired a Water Gun at its neighboring opponent, Seel. Seel, in turn, launched an attack that struck two more opponents and soon the rest the pokémon joined in the fray.

Before Nami could do anything, an attack struck her, knocking her off her chariot. Gloria and Simon stood up and gasped. "Oh my, is she all right, Simon? This was too much. We never should've let these kids compete in this race for us." She turned to Ayden and Jin. "Please, you don't have to do this any…,"

She trailed off when she saw both Ayden and Jin had disappeared.

* * *

Both boys had left the stadium and ran down the sidewalk.

Jin turned to Ayden. "So, that's what it feels like when you vanish without telling anybody! Dude, that's awesome!"

Ayden looked back at him while running. "Come on, I have a feeling I know where that attack came from! We can still catch them if we hurry!"

Jin nodded and pulled out a cell phone from his pocket. "Hey! It's me."

* * *

Nami emerged from the water and swam up to her chariot in time to hear the announcer.

"Well, it looks like the rest of the racers have been eliminated from the race! Attacking each other and falling into the water has disqualified them! Looks like there's no one left to take on Riley!"

Nami slammed her fist on her chariot. "Damn it!" Her pokémon approached her with solemn expressions and she petted them. "Hey, don't worry, guys. It wasn't your fault. We gave it our best shot."

The announcer came back on when Mendy turned a corner. "Ladies and Gentlemen! We still have one racer remaining!"

Mendy stopped beside Nami as she saw the battle ensue before her. "Nami! What happened? Are you hurt?"

Nami shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Some jerk up ahead started attacking all the other racers. Now we're all out of the race save for that Riley guy and you."

Mendy looked at the jumbo screen and watched as Riley sped through the course with a huge smug smile. She balled her hands and gritted her teeth. "It's not over yet! There's still a chance for us to win this! Come on, Squirtle, Showers! Let's beat that guy!"

Squirtle nodded and positioned himself to start swimming again. Showers, however, stubbornly turned her head away. Mendy's annoyance escalated. "Come on, Showers! If we don't work together, we won't be able to win this! We're Simon and Gloria's last chance!"

Showers continued to ignore her as well as Squirtle as he too attempted to convince her to participate. What was the point? Obviously this Riley guy was going to win. Why should any of them break their backs and try to win?

As they proceeded with their attempts to get her to join them, an attack from one of the brawling pokémon flew toward them and struck Showers, sending her flying into the air.

Mendy leapt and caught Showers, and when they were safely back on the chariot, she examined her. "Showers! Are you okay? Can you move?"

Showers gave her a confused stare. Was she actually concerned about her? That couldn't be it. A human wouldn't care about her out of genuine concern. She probably just wanted to make sure she was fine enough to run the race.

Mendy drew Showers in and hugged her. "Showers, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you like that. If I was paying more attention, you wouldn't have gotten hit. Can you forgive me?"

Showers stared into her eyes and couldn't sense any kind of malice in them. She was genuinely concerned about her. She wanted to really try and help Simon and Gloria. With little momentum, Showers forced herself out of Mendy's grip, tackled her in the head, and positioned herself to start swimming.

As Mendy rubbed her head, she saw Showers look back at her with a look that said she was ready to go. Mendy smiled and nodded. "All right! Are you guys ready to win this thing? Let's go!"

* * *

Salerne's men chuckled at their work. Knocking out the other racers was easier this year than before. The tall one stood up and stretched. "All right, looks like we're done here. Riley should have an easy time winning this thing now. Let's head back to the boss."

His partner nodded and as they walked away, they ran into Ayden and Jin. Both men looked at each other, then at them. "What do you kids want?"

Piik jumped off Ayden's shoulders and began charging her cheeks while Jin called out Vulpix. Ayden stepped forward. "So, you two were the ones responsible for all these weird incidents."

The men smiled and called out their pokémon. "Yeah, what if we are? What are you going to do about it?"

Jin smiled and cracked his knuckles. "I'm so glad you asked that."

Salerne's men attacked, but were easily overpowered by Piik and Vulpix. Their combined attacks caused a remote to fall out of the tall one's pocket. When it landed, it triggered one of the traps near the end of the race. As Riley approached it, the trap activated, blowing back Riley and his pokémon.

The announcer came on. "Whoa, what's happened? It looks like an explosion occurred right near Riley? Is he okay?" When the smoke cleared, the audience could see Riley coughing and his pokémon dazed. "It looks like he's okay! He's still on his chariot, which means he's still in the race, but are his pokémon okay? And what's this? Something is coming through the course at an incredible speed!"

Riley looked behind him and saw Mendy approaching. The announcer shouted into the microphone. "I don't believe it! Last minute entry Mendy is making an amazing comeback! She's been trailing last place since this race started, but she has now moved on to challenge the champion for his title! Will she take it? Will he keep it? You'll have to keep watching to see!"

Mendy saw Riley and her heart started racing. She could do this. She just had a little bit more to go.

Riley turned to his pokémon. "Wake up, you idiots! This is no time to be napping! We still need to cross the finish line! Now get going!"

Corphish and Seadra woke up and continued swimming toward the finish line, but their break gave Mendy enough time to catch up.

The stadium erupted into thunderous cheers as Mendy was only a few feet behind Riley.

Riley put his finger to his ear. "Hey! You morons! What the hell are you doing? All the other competitors were supposed to be taken out!"

He froze when he heard Ayden's voice on the other line. "Sorry, champ, your cohorts are indisposed at the moment."

Riley gritted his teeth. "Who the hell are you? What have you done?"

Ayden lightly smiled. "I'm not the one you need to be concerned about. I'd focus more on the racer who's about to dethrone you."

Riley looked over and Mendy had pulled up next to him. He balled his hands. This wasn't happening. He had to win. His reputation was on the line. He couldn't let some nobody come and take his title away from him. He had to do something.

The announcer screamed into the microphone. "This is amazing folks! Both the champ and the newcomer are neck-and-neck and are blazing toward the finish line! Who will win and take it all is anybody's guess!"

With a smile, Mendy saw the finish line. "Okay, just keep going, you two! We can win this!"

"Seadra! Use Smokescreen!"

Seadra took a deep breath and exhaled a large black cloud, covering Mendy and her team. They coughed and wheezed as they swam straight into it. When they had gotten through most of it, Mendy saw Riley was ahead of them again. "Hey! Attacking your opponent is illegal!"

Riley looked back and smiled. "What are you talking about? I didn't attack you! Seadra just emitted a smokescreen and you just happened to run straight into it! Tough break, kid!"

As he pulled ahead, Squirtle and Showers swam as fast as they could to catch back up. Mendy looked ahead and saw the finish line was close. She lowered her head. There was no way they could beat him now.

Squirtle looked at Showers then at Mendy as she gave a look that said she'd completely given up. He couldn't let her think this was over. He had to do something to help. Something to give her hope again.

Mendy looked up and saw Squirtle was glowing. Everyone in the audience sat in amazement as Squirtle evolved into Wartortle. Showers looked at him with widened eyes as Wartortle, with his new strength, swam faster than ever.

Riley looked back and saw Mendy and her team zooming toward him. He couldn't believe it. They were so far ahead of them just a moment ago. "Seadra, Corphish, get a move on! You better not make me lose this!"

His pokémon complied and they sped toward the finish line.

The announcer came back on just as the audience's cheering reached new levels. "This is amazing! Ladies and gentlemen, this race has had more twists and turns than we could've ever imagined! Contestant Mendy's Squirtle has evolved into Wartortle and is currently catching up to Riley at an incredible pace! Both racers are now beside each other! They're neck-and-neck! The finish line is right in front of them, folks! This is it! Who will win?"

Both Mendy and Riley zoomed through the finish line and the audience sat in silence as the judges reviewed the clips. After several minutes of waiting, the announcer came back on. "Ladies and gentlemen! After reviewing the photo finish, Wartortle's ears had reached the goal before either of Riley's pokémon! Therefore, Aopulco has a new racing champion! Contestant Mendy is your new champion!"

Mendy stood stunned as the audience applauded. She couldn't believe it. She was the new champion? They won? They won. She jumped into the air and dove into the water. When she emerged, she hugged Wartortle and Showers. "Thank you both! You two really did it! And Squirt- I mean, Wartortle, you were amazing! I can't believe you evolved! Oh my God! Just look at you!"

Wartortle smiled and gave her the peace sign.

Riley sat on his knees and gritted his teeth in frustration. How could he lose? He made sure he had the best support in taking out the competition. How could he lose?

He stood up and looked over at Mendy. "You!" Mendy looked up at him as he pointed his finger at her. "You stole my title from me! That title is mine! I don't know how you cheated, but rest assured, you're going to pay for this!"

Mendy furrowed her brow and stood back up on her chariot. "I cheated? You're the one who used a Smokescreen on me! If anyone was cheating it was you!"

Riley scoffed. "It wasn't against the rules. I never attacked you."

"You may not have attacked her directly, but you definitely cheated throughout this entire race, Riley."

Riley turned and saw Ayden and Jin walking toward him dragging Salerne's men. Riley chuckled. "Okay, I'll bite. Who are you and what do you mean I cheated? I've been playing this game honorably since the start. I'm the reigning champion after all. Why would I need to cheat?"

Ayden and Jin dragged Salerne's men over and plopped them on the ground. Jin straightened up and adjusted his glasses. "I highly doubt that. You were working with their boss this entire time, weren't you? You had these two rig the race so that you would have an easier time getting to the finish line."

Riley smiled. "That's quite the accusation. I've never seen these two in my life, and I certainly don't know who their boss is. Besides, what proof do you have for making such a claim?"

Jin smiled widely as he held up one of the radios from Salerne's men. "Oh, I don't know. What do you think would happen if a really loud sound went into this earpiece?"

Riley nervously smiled as sweat fell from his brow. "What are you implying?"

Jin chuckled. "I have a theory that you've been communicating with these two throughout the race. I've noticed every time you touched your ear, something happened to the other racers. And I'm about to prove it with this test. If you're not wearing an earpiece, then this will prove your innocence."

Riley froze. After all the excitement, he forgot to get rid of the earpiece. If they discover he's still wearing it, he'll be ruined.

Jin turned to Nami. "Hey, Nami. You were awesome by the way. Can you have Marill do a Hyper Voice for me?"  
Nami nodded. "Yeah, with pleasure. Marill use Hyper Voice!"

Marill looked at the earpiece and reared back.

Riley's eyes widened as Marill launched the attack, an ear-splitting noise that immediately forced Riley to remove his earpiece and toss it into the water.

The audience sat stunned as they saw their former champion showing his true colors. He looked around at the hateful stares of his former fans and then at Ayden and Jin. Just who were these people and why did they have to ruin everything?

Ayden stepped forward. "Like we've stated before, these men were working with you and they're the ones responsible for ruining Simon and Gloria's restaurant."

Riley stepped back. "Hey! You can't pin that one on me! I had nothing to do with that fire! It was all Salerne's idea! He wanted to ruin their business so they wouldn't be able to pay back their debt!"

Jin chuckled. "Hm? That's odd. I don't recall ever mentioning Salerne. How do you know that name? How did you know their restaurant was ruined by a fire? I'm afraid you've given yourself away, Riley."

Riley shook as he just realized the mistake he'd made. "But… I-I…,"

He as well as everyone turned to see several police vehicles pull up. Officer Jenny ran up to Jin. "Jin, I got your call. What's happened?"

Jin sighed. "A lot."

In the stands, as the rest of the audience gazed upon the spectacle with the police, Salerne gave a disapproving scowl and stood up with his bodyguards. "Let's go. That kid was nothing but a disappointment."

* * *

Jenny and her squad came around and arrested Salerne's men as well as Riley. As they were being taken away, Jenny turned to Jin and the others and gave a salute. "Thank you all for all your hard work. We'll look into this, and place Salerne into custody for all that he's done."

Jin gave her a thumbs up. "It was no problem at all! We were happy to help!"

Jenny got into her squad car. "We'll take these men to the station. We'll be back for you kids in the morning to take you back to Vermillion."

As she and her squads drove away, Nami hugged Mendy. "Hey! Congratulations, champ! You were awesome! And I can't believe Squirtle evolved!"

Simon and Gloria soon came up to them as Mendy and Nami started talking.

Gloria walked up to Mendy and smiled. "Congratulations on your win, dear. I can't believe you did all this for us. I don't know how we could ever repay you."

Mendy shook her head. "We're the ones who should be thanking you. You took us in and cared for us. You saved our lives. This was the least we could do."

The announcer came by and walked up to Mendy, carrying the winner's trophy and a check. "Well, in all my time spectating over this event, I've never seen such a come-from-behind victory like yours! You've truly earned this, Contestant Mendy! You're now Champion! Please, let's give it up for our new Champion!"

Mendy stood holding the trophy as well as the check as the audience and her friends applauded her victory.

Gloria picked Showers up. "Showers, you did great. Thank you for helping Mendy out. She's not so bad, isn't she?"

Showers watched as Mendy humbly took in the praise for the victory. Why wasn't she like the rest of the humans? Just what was it about her?

Simon smiled. "I say this calls for a celebration. How about you kids come back with us to the restaurant and we'll prepare the biggest victory feast you've ever seen?"

Nami and Mendy jumped up and high-fived each other. Jin and Piik pumped their fists into the air while Ayden lightly smiled.

* * *

The next morning, Jin walked out of Simon and Gloria's house slowly as he rubbed his stomach. He couldn't remember a time he ate so much. First the victory dinner last night, and now the huge breakfast.

Mendy placed her hands in her pockets. "You gonna be okay, Jin?"

Jin nodded weakly. "Oh yeah, just give me like a month to walk this off."

She giggled and turned to see Nami was having the same issue. "A month? I think I'll need a full year to get rid of all this."

Simon and Gloria walked out with Ayden and Simon placed his hand on Ayden's shoulder. "Are you sure you all can't stay a little while longer? We would really like to do more for you."

Ayden shook his head. "Thank you both for everything, but we should really be going."

Simon nodded. "I understand. You all take care of yourselves, you hear?"

All of them responded with a nod. Gloria carried Showers and walked up to the group with a smile. "Now feel free to come back any time. We'll be more than happy to whip you kids up another feast."

Jin hiccupped. "Oh, that sounds terrific."

Gloria looked at Showers. "Okay, Showers, say goodbye."

Mendy walked up to Showers. "Showers, thank you for all your help. We couldn't have won that race without you. You take care of Gloria and Simon, okay?"

Showers looked at Mendy with intense concentration. She still didn't know what it was about this human that fascinated her so much. Why was she so different?

Mendy petted Showers, and Showers jumped out of Gloria's arms and tackled Mendy in the head.

As Mendy reeled from the blow, Showers positioned herself away from her. Mendy winced and rubbed her head. "Hey, what was that for?" She was taken aback as she watched Showers take a fighting stance. "Wait, what's going on? Why is she mad?"

Ayden looked at Showers closely. "I don't think she's mad. I think she wants to battle you."

Mendy turned back to Showers. "Really? Is that what you want?" Showers steadied herself and Mendy nodded. "Okay then. Let's do this! Wartortle, let's go!"

Wartortle popped out and stared dreamily at Showers. Mendy knew where this was going. "Wartortle! Focus! This isn't the time to be ogling at her! We have to win this!"

Wartortle snapped out of his train of thought just in time for Showers to hit him with a Quick Attack, pushing him back.

When he skidded to a stop, Mendy balled her hands. They could do this. She just needed to concentrate. "Wartortle! Aqua Jet!"

Wartortle encased himself in water and launched himself at Showers, knocking her back.

She shook off the attack and surrounded herself with a veil of water, restoring her health. Mendy smiled. She couldn't explain it, but a sensation came over her. She really wanted to catch Showers. She hadn't felt like this in a long time.

As she watched the battle, Nami started to smile as well. That look on Mendy's face, that award-winning smile, she knew Mendy was enjoying every second of this.

"Okay, Wartortle, Water Gun!"

Wartortle wound up and fired a stream of water at Showers. Showers dodged and used Tail Whip. Wartortle stood with hearts in his eyes as Showers swayed her tail back and forth in a seductive fashion. He relaxed his shoulders and began to drool as he focused all his attention on her backside. Showers took the opportunity and hit him with another Quick Attack, knocking him on his back.

He struggled to get back up as Showers readied herself and fired an Aurora Beam at him.

Mendy froze. This was like her battle with Raye all over again. Something bad happened during the battle and she couldn't think of anything to help out. She had to think of something or Wartortle was going to lose.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had this. She just needed to clear her head for a moment. In the abyss of her thoughts, Raye appeared alongside her Monferno, and Mendy's heartbeat increased as she thought about their last battle. Just how much Raye dominated her and Squirtle made her blood boil. She had to get better so her pokémon would never have to go through something like that again.

She gritted her teeth and tightened her fists. "I'm not going to be afraid of you anymore! Do you hear me? I'm going to get stronger and I will become a Gym Leader!"

Raye and Monferno's image shattered, leaving Mendy with just the battle in front of her. She saw Showers' rainbow-colored attack getting closer and Wartortle still struggling to get back up. Suddenly, her mind cleared and she knew what she had to do. "Wartortle, Rapid Spin!"

Wartortle withdrew into his shell and spun around the field like a top. He dodged the attack and moved in on Showers. She was too stunned to react as Wartortle proceeded to knock her into the air. As she was airborne, Mendy took the opportunity. "Wartortle, Water Gun!"

Wartortle popped out of his shell and fired a stream of water at Showers, hitting her square in the torso and launching her into a tree. When the attack subsided, Showers staggered to get back on her feet.

Mendy's eyes widened; this was it. She pulled a pokéball out and threw it. "Go, pokéball!"

The ball hit Showers in the head and she disappeared in a red beam of light. The pokéball landed and began squirming back and forth. Everyone stood in anticipation as the pokéball continued to shake.

Mendy's heartbeat increased to the point that's all she could hear. Sweat fell down her cheek as the tension ate away at her.

Suddenly, they all heard a loud click. Mendy dropped her shoulders, and her eyes and smile widened. "We did it! We caught Showers!"

Everyone applauded as Mendy held the pokéball in her hands. Gloria walked up to her. "Congratulations, dear. Now, please take good care of her. She can be a handful, but she is a very sweet girl."

Mendy nodded. "I will. You can count on it." She then threw the ball into the air. "Come on out, Showers!" Showers popped out and gazed at Mendy while she picked her up. "Looks like we're going to be a team starting today. Welcome to the family."

Showers gazed upon her and finally it all came together for her. Not all humans were bad and Mendy was a prime example of that. For the first time, she felt she could really put her trust in humans again.

She escaped Mendy's grip and tackled her in the head, knocking her to the ground. After reeling from the blow, Mendy sat up and rubbed her head. "Showers! What was that for?"

Showers looked at her, smiled, and started giggling. Mendy, realizing this was just how Showers showed affection, smiled back and started laughing.

* * *

Simon and Gloria stood by them as they prepared to leave with Officer Jenny. "So, where are you all headed now?"

Jin took out his GPS. "Well, looks like the nearest gym is in Saffron City. So, I guess we're headed there next."

Gloria nodded. "Well, you kids be safe out there and good luck to all of you."

They all waved and said their goodbyes and Ayden and the others sat back as Jenny drove them all back to Vermillion City.

* * *

In the corner of Saffron City, stood an unusually dome-shaped silver building. Inside, illuminated by torches, were several rooms honeycombed throughout the facility. At the heart of it all, sat a beautiful woman of early twenties with long dark-green hair and blue eyes. She wore a red and black dress over black leggings, white gloves, and red and yellow knee-high boots.

She sat on a large armchair meditating deeply. She opened her eyes and stood up as a vision flashed before her. She didn't know why, but she felt afraid. "Something… sinister is coming."

* * *

Ayden and the group made it back to Vermillion City and Jenny waved them goodbye. Jin looked around and pointed toward an exit. "Okay, looks like that's the way to Saffron. You guys ready?"

Mendy and Nami nodded in agreement. Jin looked around and saw Ayden heading toward the edge of town. "Hey, Ayden! Where're you going, man? Saffron's this way!"

Ayden stopped and turned around. "I know. I'm not going to Saffron just yet."

Mendy stood confused. "Why not? That's where the next closest gym is."

Ayden nodded. "True, but her gym's specialty is psychic-type pokémon. I'll need a good defense against that. So, I need to make a quick detour."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "To where?"

Ayden continued to walk toward the edge of the city. "To Lavender Town."

* * *

 ******* **I hope you enjoyed the chapter!** **Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts on the story and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it. Chapter 18 will be posted around the same time in August! I'll be away on vacation at the end of July and won't be able to post the next chapter! So look forward to chapter 18 and have great night!**


	18. The Ghosts of Lavender Town

**Welcome, everyone, to chapter 18 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!** **Please view the message at the end of the chapter! Thank you!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 18**

A soft breeze swept through the silent town and a thick fog emerged as the day turned to night. In the distance, a bell tolled and the lights in every home turned off immediately.

As the bell continued to toll, with its hauntingly melodious tune ringing for every household to hear, several people walked out of the fog. They each wore a white robe, carried a wooden wand, and appeared in two straight lines headed for the largest building in town, Pokémon Tower, a multi-story cemetery for pokémon.

In one of the houses closest to the tower, a young boy was being tucked into bed by his mother. She was a beautiful woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail and wore jeans with a yellow shirt.

The young boy had short black hair and gazed at his mother with big green eyes. "Mommy, why do we have to go to bed so early?"

His mother patted his head. "We mustn't be outside or even have the lights on while the ritual is taking place. The shamans are performing a very sacred ceremony at the Pokémon Tower and can't have anything distracting them. We show our support by turning off the lights for them." She kissed him on the forehead. "Now, goodnight and sweet dreams."

She left the room and closed the door behind her. When he heard her footprints fade down the hallway and the door to her room close, his curiosity overtook him. He had to know what the shamans were doing.

He got out of bed and headed over to the window. He peeked through the blinds and could barely see the shamans as they entered the tower. He flicked on the light switch and then went back over to the window, hoping to get a better look. He smiled as the last shaman went up the stairs.

Before she entered, she stopped. The boy wondered why she just stood there while the others had already entered the tower. She turned her head slowly until she looked directly at the window the boy was peeking through. He watched as she mouthed a few words then smiled wickedly.

His heart sank and he quickly turned off the lights and jumped back into bed. He closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep, but all he could see was her smile. A smile that forced him to keep his eyes open. He started to cry as the smile got to him. He got out of bed and opened the door to his room. He had to talk to his mom. He got to her room and opened the door to find he was back in his room again.

He looked around confused as he could've sworn he went to his mother's room. He turned around to leave when the door closed. He tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He pounded on the door and yelled for his mother, but she didn't come. Tears streamed down his face as he banged his fists on the door and yelled as loud as he could.

He stopped when he heard the bell toll again. However, it wasn't as distant as it was before. It was as if it was right outside his window. He walked to his window again and slowly peeked through the blinds. He saw an empty street and everything was the way it was supposed to be.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the blinds. He turned around to find the smiling shaman from earlier standing behind him. His eyes widened as he gazed at her wide sinister smile. He screamed as she placed her hand over his mouth. She then wrapped his body in shadows and lured him away from his house. He struggled and screamed into the shadows as they covered his mouth, but his efforts proved pointless as the shaman slowly dragged him toward the tower.

Inside, after being dragged to the top floor, the boy continued to struggle as the rest of the shamans stood around him chanting. They placed him in the middle of a circle drawn out in dried blood. When they finished chanting, the blood illuminated and a demonic aura appeared over the boy.

With tears streaming down his face, the boy looked back at the apparition as it opened its mouth. The boy screamed as the ghost moved slowly toward him. His screams carried throughout the tower until they were silenced.

* * *

Off in the top corners of the tower, the light from an old television screen flickered as it aired a comedy routine. Sitting in beat up chairs and eating junk food off an old table, were Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar; three ghost-type pokémon who laughed hysterically at the comedians.

After each routine, they would imitate the comedians by bulging out their eyeballs and sticking their tongues out; making each other laugh in the process. The three had a dream. They were going to be the greatest comedy trio the world had ever seen. Who cares if they were pokémon? As long as you could make your audience laugh, it shouldn't matter what you were.

As they continued to imitate, laugh, and study the routine, they froze when they heard the shamans chanting. That meant the great ruler was about to make an appearance in order to feast on a soul. The three shivered at the thought of being so close to a dreadfully powerful spirit.

Suddenly, they all fell to the floor as they felt the great ruler's immense aura. The power it wielded just from appearing was enough to freeze any pokémon in its tracks. No sooner had they felt its power did it go away. They eased up and sighed in relief as they didn't want to have to deal with that spirit any longer than they needed to. When they felt all was clear, they went back to watching the comedians.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Ayden's group stopped to set up camp and have dinner. They had all gathered around the campfire and Nami and Jin listened intently as Mendy told them how she and Ayden survived the St. Anne.

Mendy waved her hands around to act as visuals for her story. "And then, we drifted along on a raft for the rest of the day and the next morning, we were surrounded by Gyarados!"  
Both Nami and Jin's eyes widened as they exclaimed in unison. "Gyarados?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, I was freaking out too! Then, one of them smashed our raft and then they all created a tornado that carried us to Aopulco!"

Jin, sitting next to Ayden, breathed a sigh of relief. "Wow, guys. That's insane. I can't believe all this happened. I'm so glad you guys are all right."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, me too. It was pretty terrifying." She stared at Ayden as he ate his dinner and thought back to when he freaked out on the St. Anne to the point he couldn't even breathe.

Nami looked at Mendy as she continued to stare at Ayden. Terrifying? Riding around on a raft with no food or water? Getting attacked by a school of Gyarados? She gripped her fork as she shook with anger. She told Mendy she'd always be there for her, and yet, she couldn't help her out at all.

This didn't sit right with her. She set down her fork and turned to Mendy. "Mendy." When she had her attention, all Nami could do was stare at her. For some reason, she was at a loss for words. "Um… I'm-,"

She trailed off when she heard Ayden scream. They all turned to see him grip his head and fall to his knees. Piik ran up to him with Mendy jumping out of her seat to try to help as well.

Mendy's eyes widened as she thought back to that moment on the St. Anne. It couldn't be the same situation. They weren't even near any water. "Ayden! Are you okay?"

Jin got on his knees to help Ayden as well. "Hey, man! Take it easy! Just calm down!"

Ayden held his head as the pain intensified. He was then shown a vision. He saw a room, with many people in black storming through. He heard the people yelling, and the cries of pokémon in the background.

One of the people turned to the other. "It got away, sir. This one protected it."

The vision ended and Ayden laid on the ground panting in a cold sweat. Another vision, but it seemed incomplete. He didn't see the full scope of it like the others. What did it mean? Where was the vision taking place? Who were those people and what got away? He looked up and finally noticed the others over him.

Mendy extended her hand to him. "Ayden? Are you okay? Can you move?"

Ayden nodded and sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it, it's nothing. Just… a headache."

Jin looked at him suspiciously. "A headache? You sure? I mean, the same thing happened when we were in Cerulean. It seems more than just a mere headache."

Ayden nodded. He couldn't let them find out. What if this ability to see visions of the past was what these Chaos guys were looking for? If anyone else knew, they'd be in danger. Team Chaos would go after them just to get to him. He couldn't let any of them go through that. "Yeah, it's nothing really. I sometimes get these really strong headaches, but they're usually very brief and don't happen that often. I'm fine, really."

Mendy looked at him with concerned eyes. "Okay, if you're sure."

Nami stared at the scene in disbelief. She didn't know what to make of it. Since when did Mendy get this concerned over Ayden? She shook her head and realized this was probably nothing. Mendy was always a compassionate person. She'd go and help anyone at the drop of a hat.

She cleared her throat and turned to Mendy. "Hey, Mendy, I-,"

Mendy turned to her. "Oh, Nami, could you get the medicine out of my backpack?" She turned back to Ayden. "I have something that should help against headaches."

Nami froze before lowering her shoulders. She reached for Mendy's backpack and pulled out her medicine kit. "Here."

Mendy grabbed the box. "Thanks."

Ayden held his hand up to her and shook his head. "I already told you guys, I'm fine. Really. It comes and goes."

Mendy shook her head as she shook the bottle to get the pills into her hand. "Nope, not this time. Here. It may not be much, but I promise it'll help with your headaches, even just a little. Please just take one."

Ayden looked at her and saw just how serious she was about this. He sighed and then took the medicine.

Nami continued to watch as Mendy kept trying to help Ayden. Despite him saying he was fine, she kept at it. Why? Why was she going out of her way to help him so much? "Hey, Mendy, I-,"

Mendy turned to her. "Yeah?"

Again, Nami froze. For some reason, she couldn't find the words to say. She averted her gaze and dropped her shoulders. "Uh, it's nothing. Never mind."

Mendy tilted her head. "Nami… you okay?"

Nami perked up and waved her hands. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine! What? Was I being too serious or something just now? I was just thinking about stupid stuff! It's all good!" She laughed nervously and then stood up. "I'm going to go for a quick walk to stretch my legs."

Everyone watched as she walked into the woods. When he was certain she was out of earshot, Jin turned to Mendy. "What was that all about?"

Mendy stood up and ran after her. She'd known Nami for a long time and could tell when something was on her mind.

When Nami felt she'd gone far enough, she leaned against a tree and stared up into the sky. What was she doing? Why was she feeling this way? Mendy has always been a caring person. It only made sense she'd worry about the others, but why was she so concerned about him? Why him of all people? She didn't know what it was, but seeing Mendy worry about Ayden like that irked her for some reason. Did something happen between them while they were trapped on the ship? If he did anything to her-

Her thoughts were interrupted when Mendy came up to her. "Hey, Nami! What's going on? You were acting a little weird back there."

Nami shook and gripped her arm to keep herself steady. She looked up at her and then grinned. "Oh that? It was nothing, like I said. I was just… uh… th-thinking about going back to Saffron. You know, it has been a while since I've been home."

Mendy stared at her for a bit then grinned. "Now that you mention it, it has been a while. I bet everyone at the gym can't wait to see you."

Nami looked up at the sky again. "Yeah, can't wait to see them again." She focused her gaze on the stars and suddenly found the words she'd been meaning to say. "Hey, Mendy… I'm so sorry."

Mendy looked at her in confusion. "For what?"

Nami sighed. "For not protecting you. I swore I'd always protect you, but I couldn't do a thing when you were trapped on the ship. For days I was a wreck wondering what happened to you. Whether you were doing okay or not." She tightened her grip on her arm and clenched her teeth as she felt tears forming. "It just pisses me off knowing I couldn't do anything to help you! That's the second time you've almost been taken away from me! You're my best friend and I can't even do anything to protect you!" She perked up when she realized Mendy drew her into a hug. "Mendy?"

Mendy smiled as she hugged Nami tighter. "You don't have to apologize. Wanna know why? Because you're my friend." Nami's eyes widened as she remembered she said the same thing to Mendy back in Cerulean. "I know I worried you. I can't imagine all the things that crossed your mind during the past few days. Can you ever forgive me?"

Nami allowed her tears to fall. "Forgive you? I'm just so glad you're okay. If anything ever happened to you… I don't know what I'd do."

Mendy nodded. "I feel the same way. You're my best friend, Nami."

Nami sniffed back tears. "Please… just don't leave me."

Mendy shook her head. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be with you. I promise."

* * *

Ayden and Jin finished putting away all the pots and pans for dinner when Mendy and Nami emerged from the forest. Jin looked up and smiled. "Hey, you two! Where'd you guys go? We were starting to worry about you!"

Mendy grinned. "We just needed to talk to each other for a bit. Sorry to make you guys put away all the stuff."

Jin shook his head. "No worries. But, you guys have good timing. We're about to go over tomorrow's travel plans." He pulled up his GPS as Mendy and Nami took their seats. "So, we're a little ways before we hit route 12 and Silence Bridge. Once we get there, we'll head north and we should make it to Lavender Town by late afternoon."

Mendy nodded. "Sounds like a plan. By the way, Ayden, what exactly did you need to pick up in Lavender Town?"

Ayden looked up at the group. "I'm headed towards the Pokémon Tower. It's supposed to be full of ghost-type pokémon."

Nami perked up and her skin went pale. "It's full of what?"

Jin snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah, ghost-types would be really helpful against Saffron's gym leader's psychic-types. And this could also be a good chance for me to take some notes on them."

Nami shivered as the thought of ghost pokémon entered her mind. That's what he was going for? He wanted to catch a ghost pokémon? Why? Of all the types he could try and get, why did he want to get a ghost pokémon?

Mendy looked over at Nami and realized what was wrong with her. "Hey, are you sure you need to get a ghost type? I mean, your pokémon are pretty strong already, maybe you don't need a type advantage."

Ayden looked at her. "Whether my pokémon are strong enough or not isn't the issue. Psychic types are very powerful. Their abilities are heightened even further when their trainer is able to connect with them on a very high mental level. Sabrina is the strongest user of psychic-types in this region. Using ordinary means won't work against her. I'll need a strong defense in order to have a chance of winning."

Mendy looked back at Nami and then at Ayden. "Well, wouldn't a dark-type pokémon be even better? Psychic attacks don't do anything against them."

Ayden nodded. "That's true, but there aren't any dark types around this area, and I don't have time to go find one either."

Jin crossed his arms and nodded. "He's got a point. Dark types are quite rare around Kanto. Catching a ghost type would make the most sense in dealing with a psychic-type trainer."

Nami gripped her head as the thought of seeing ghost types filled her mind. She never liked ghosts. They'd always freaked her out. Usually when she was faced with things that irritated her, she'd punch them and forget about it, but ghosts were a different story. They don't have any physical form and could move through anything; making her fighting ability completely useless. She didn't want to go, but she couldn't let them go without her. She needed to stay and protect Mendy and make sure Ayden paid her back for the bike. It was unfortunate, but she would have to go.

Nami cleared her throat and looked over at Ayden. "Fine, so you need a ghost pokémon. How long will this take?"

Ayden shrugged. "Who knows? It's said they only appear around the tower at night. So, it'll be perfect timing when we get there."

Nami sat frozen in her seat. At night? Ghost pokémon… at night? She shook as Jin went over the travel plans again. She knew she wasn't going to like the following day one bit.

* * *

The next day, the sun shined brightly over their heads as they made their way across Silent Bridge. As they walked, Jin led the way with his GPS in hand. Ayden walked directly behind him with Piik riding safely on his shoulder, and Nami walked slowly behind Mendy while holding her stomach.

Mendy looked back at her and slowed down. "Hey, you doing okay?"

Nami looked at her. "I'm fine… I just feel uneasy about this trip to the tower."

Mendy held her hand. "Hey, it's going to be all right. I'll be there with you every step of the way. And it shouldn't take someone like Ayden long to catch a pokémon, right? Come on, I'll protect you."

Nami walked with her hand being held by Mendy. Somehow, she felt a strong wave of comfort as they held hands. She grinned. "Damn, I'm really lame, aren't I? Getting shaken over something stupid like ghost pokémon. I'm supposed to be protecting you and here you are protecting me."

Mendy shook her head. "It's nothing like that. We're all afraid of something. There's nothing wrong with asking for help every now and then."

Nami scoffed. "Yeah, except for Mr. Perfect up there. He's not fazed by anything."

Mendy thought back to when she and Ayden were stuck on the ship and how he freaked out. She was positive he didn't want anyone knowing about his fears. "I'm… I'm sure even he has things he's afraid of too."

* * *

The sun had begun to set as the group made their way through route 12. Jin kept looking between his GPS and the road before he came to a complete stop. "Hey, guess what, guys? We're here! Welcome to Lavender Town!"

The group gazed upon the town and its ghostly atmosphere and quickly noticed how bare it was.

Mendy looked around. "Anyone have any idea where all the people are?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Yeah, with no one around and all the lights out, it looks almost like a ghost town."

Nami tightened her grip on Mendy's hand. She'd wished he didn't describe the town as something like that. "Can we please just find the Pokémon Center?"

Jin looked at her and smiled. "Sure thing. The Center should be around her somewhere." He looked around until he saw the red-roofed building. "And there it is. Let's go!"

With that, the group made their way toward the Center. As they entered, they nearly ran into Nurse Joy, who gasped as she saw them appear in the entrance.

After straightening herself up, she smiled. "G-Good evening. Welcome to the Pokémon Center."

Jin smiled back. "Thanks. Sorry for the sudden entry. We just got into town."

Joy nodded. "Is that right? Well, please feel free to relax."

As the group made their way to the lobby, they all looked back and saw Joy close up the Center and turn off the lights.

Nami looked over at Joy. "Uh, Nurse Joy, it's kinda early to close up the Center, isn't it? And why are you turning off the lights?"

Joy turned to her. "Oh no, not at all. All the shops and buildings close up business before the Daily Prayer."

Mendy blinked in confusion. "Daily Prayer?"

They all perked up when they heard a bell toll in the distance. Its haunting tune rang through the town and sent shivers down their spines.

Nami grabbed Mendy's entire arm. "W-W-W-What's that? A bell? Where's it coming from?"

Jin looked around nervously. "I don't know. I didn't see a bell tower when we arrived in town. Why's it so loud?"

As the rest of the group nervously inquired about the bell, Ayden noticed Joy standing perfectly calm with her hands folded in front of her and a smile on her face. Piik, feeling uneasy, shivered a bit, but calmed down when Ayden stroked her fur.

Outside, the group saw fog slowly engulf the town. Nami's eyes widened as she saw two rows of people in white robes walk steadily towards Pokémon Tower. "W-W-What's going on? Who're they?"

Joy continued to smile. "No need to worry. They're the shamans who are in charge of the Daily Prayer. Every night at this time, the bell will ring signaling the start of the prayer. The shamans will then go to the tower and perform the ceremony to appease the ghosts in Pokémon Tower."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "They perform the prayer every night?"

Joy turned to him. "Yes. They arrived in town about a month ago when reports of children going missing started happening. Fearing the ghosts of Pokémon Tower were the cause of their disappearances, the shamans were called upon. We all thought with their help the ghosts would be settled and we could go about our lives. However, we just had another incident. A young boy's body was found in the streets. We fear the spirits of Pokémon Tower are angry and we're doing all we can to make sure something like this doesn't happen again."

Nami's eyes teared up as her skin began to crawl. A body? Angry ghosts? Daily prayer rituals? She couldn't take it anymore and she wasn't even in the tower yet. She turned to Mendy and gripped her shoulders. "Please! Let's get out of here while we still can? The ghosts are going to come for us like they did that kid!"

Joy shook her head. "I'm afraid it's too late. You can't leave now."

Nami slowly turned to her, sniffing back tears. "W-W-Why not?"

Joy placed her hand on her cheek. "The shamans have asked that no one leaves their house while they're performing the prayer." She turned to Ayden as he made his way toward the door. "Wait! You can't go out! Leaving is strictly prohibited!"

Ayden turned to her. "I don't have time to wait for your shamans to give me permission. I need to get to that tower to capture a ghost pokémon. I'm on a bit of tight schedule."

Joy looked at him with fear. "B-But-,"

Jin walked up to Ayden. "Ayden's right. We can't just wait around. I'm a pokémon watcher and this is a great opportunity. I ain't afraid of no ghost." He turned to Mendy and Nami. "You guys are in too, right?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, you bet! We've come all this way, we can't turn back now."

Nami squealed. She didn't want to go, but she didn't want to be the only one left out. She trembled and sniffed back tears as the others cheered on their upcoming mission.

As Ayden opened the door, one of the shamans lifted her head. "Someone has dared to disrupt the prayer to our great ruler. They must be offered as a sacrifice. Bring us their souls at once."

"Yes… as you command."

Before Ayden stepped outside the Center, Joy slammed the door shut, shocking the whole group. They stood staring at her as she kept her hand firmly on the door.

Mendy grinned nervously. "Uh… Nurse Joy?"

Joy looked up at the group and they immediately saw a change in her demeanor. Her face looked relaxed and sleepy, and her voice no longer had the warm welcoming tone they were used to. "No one… is to interfere… with the prayer. Those who disobey… will be offered… to our great ruler." She quickly grabbed Ayden by the throat and lifted him effortlessly with one hand. "Now, offer your souls… to our great ruler."

Ayden struggled against her grip and felt it tighten. His mind raced with what was going on and he tried to find the most logical explanation when the group jumped in and tried to free him from her grip. Piik jumped from his shoulders, landed on Joy's arm, and bit her as hard as she could.

Joy didn't flinch. No matter how hard they pulled, yelled, or attacked her, she wouldn't let go of Ayden. "All of you… will be offered… to our great ruler. Offer your souls."

With the wave her arm, she knocked everyone away from her and Ayden. Mendy gripped her shoulder as she tried to stand back up. "What's going on? Why's she acting like this?"

Jin struggled to get up. "Don't know, but we have to help Ayden."

Piik jumped back up and charged her cheeks. Before she could launch her attack, Joy turned to her. "Chansey… Light Screen and Reflect."

At her call, Chansey appeared and blocked Piik's attack with a double wall of light. Leaving Joy and Ayden alone.

Mendy's eyes widened with fear as she watched Ayden gasp for air. She couldn't let this happen. Whatever was going on with Joy, she had to stop her.

She got up and rammed into the barrier as hard as she could. When it didn't budge, she tossed her pokéballs into the air. "Wartortle! Showers! I need your help!"

Both pokémon emerged ready for battle. Wartortle looked around and hearts filled his eyes when he saw Piik and Showers together. He didn't know what to do. Two lovely angels on either side of him. This truly was Heaven.

Mendy looked at him and snapped her fingers. "Wartortle! Focus now! Skull Bash! Showers, Quick Attack!"

As her pokémon attacked the barriers, Jin and Nami called out their pokémon as well and ordered them to attack. Mendy and Jin ran up and pounded on the Light Screen trying to break through, while Piik did everything she could think of the break the attack.

Joy grinned as she watched Ayden struggle against her grip. "You'll be the first… offered to our great ruler. Now die!"

She tightened her grip and Ayden could feel himself starting to black out. As his grip on her hands loosened, his eyes shot open and they had changed from their hazelnut color to their gold and blue combination. His eyes widened when he saw a dark aura around her. He didn't know what it was, but knew she wasn't doing any of this with her own will.

Before he made another move, his attention turned toward a woman who appeared in an instant. She had long dark-green hair and blue eyes. The rest of the group turned to see the mysterious woman appear as well. The moment Nami laid eyes on her, she furrowed her brow and gritted her teeth. What was she doing here?

When Joy turned to her, the woman's eyes lit up and sent a shockwave toward her, forcing her to let go of Ayden and knocking her backward toward the wall. He fell to the floor and held his throat as he gasped for air. His eyes then returned to their natural color.

When he caught enough air back into his lungs, he tossed a pokéball. "Heracross! Brick Break!"

Heracross appeared and shattered the Light Screen and the Reflect to pieces. As soon as the walls disappeared, Piik fired off a Thunderbolt at Chansey followed quickly by an Iron Tail, knocking the egg-like pokémon down. When Chansey was unconscious on the floor, Mendy, Jin, and Nami ran up to Ayden.

Mendy dropped to her knees and held Ayden up. "Ayden, are you okay?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah… I'm fine." He gave Piik a pat on the head as she came up to check on him. "Great job, Piik. You too, Heracross. You both were amazing."

They all turned their attention to the woman who stood staring Joy down. Joy focused all her attention on the new potential offering. "You too… shall be offered… to our great ruler."

With a wave of her hand, she launched a wave of dark energy toward the woman, but the waves merely bounced off her. Her eyes glowed with an intense light that caused Joy to back up. The woman took a step forward. "Release her from your possession at once!"

She widened her eyes and sent a powerful shockwave toward Joy, knocking her back and pinning her to the wall. The woman continued staring and kept the pressure on her.

Joy writhed and struggled, but couldn't break free of the shockwaves. Her eyes soon widened and the dark aura left her body. When the woman saw the aura leave, she released Joy from her grip and watched as the aura disappeared.

The group looked at the unconscious nurse, at each other, and then at the woman. Jin adjusted his glasses. "So… what just happened? Uh… thanks for helping us back there. Who are you?"

The woman turned to the group. She had an emotionless expression and spoke in a calm and serious tone. "My name is Sabrina, I'm the leader of the Saffron City gym. I've come here to investigate after sensing something very disturbing."

Mendy stood up and helped Ayden back on his feet. "That's definitely a word for it. What exactly is going on here? What just came out of Nurse Joy?"

Sabrina turned to her. "I'll explain everything as best I can. First, help me get her to the couch."

* * *

When Joy was safely resting on the couch, Sabrina turned to the group. "What you all just witnessed was an evil spirit that had possessed Nurse Joy."

Mendy shivered. "Possessed? Really?"

Sabrina nodded. "Yes. I was able to release her from its power. She'll be fine now. She just needs to get some rest. However, unless you want the same thing to happen to you, I suggest you leave this town immediately. It's not safe for anyone."

Ayden shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't leave just yet. I've come here to catch a ghost pokémon."

Sabrina turned to him. "To defeat me with, correct?"

Jin shrieked and threw his hands into the air. "Oh no! She knows!"

Sabrina grinned. "I commend you on your bravery for wanting to venture into the tower, but now isn't a good time. It's far too dangerous for any of you to go there. Until I've figured out the root of these disturbances and end this horror, you shouldn't go near the tower. I'm telling you this for your own safety."

With that, she teleported out of the Center before any of them could speak. Mendy turned to the rest of the group. "What do you guys think?" She and the others' turned to Ayden as he walked to the entrance of the Pokémon Center. "Ayden! Wait! Where are you going?"

Ayden looked back at her. "I'm going to the tower. You all can wait here if you want. This doesn't concern you anyway."

Mendy furrowed her brow. "Like hell it doesn't! Didn't you hear Sabrina? It's not safe to go in there!"

Ayden tightened his grip on the door. "Which is exactly why you should wait here. It's more important that you all are safe."

Mendy froze. There was that phrase again. The phrase he kept saying when he didn't care about his own safety. Every time he said it she got angrier.

Jin stepped forward. "Sorry, Ayden, but you're not going in alone! I'm going to the tower with you!" The group turned to him as he smiled. "I wasn't able to help you out back on the ship, and so many things went wrong because of it, but not this time. I'm not making the same mistake again. I'm with you to the end, no matter where it is, man. That I promise you."

Ayden looked at him in disbelief. Why? Why would he go with him into certain danger without hesitation? He told him he'd be safer if he'd waited for him. So why?

His attention then turned to Mendy. "Jin's right! I'm coming too. We got here together and we're leaving together."

Nami looked at them all and clenched her fists. "If Mendy's going, then I'm going too. There's no way I'm letting her go off again without me. Like Jin said, this won't be a repeat of what happened on the St. Anne."

Ayden lowered his shoulders and sighed. He knew they'd made up their minds and nothing he said at this point could change them. Unlike him, they all had families waiting for them. If anything happened to them that he could've prevented, he'd feel the same way as he did when he lost his family. "All right, then let's all be careful."

The group cheered and threw their fists up into the air.

* * *

Sabrina appeared before the tower and then let out a sigh. She knew she couldn't change the future. Regardless of her warnings, Ayden would go into the tower… and his life would end.

* * *

 ******* **I hope you enjoyed the chapter!** **Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it.**

 *****Chapter 19 will be posted around the same time at the end of September! So look forward to the next chapter and have great night!**


	19. Into Despair

**Welcome to chapter 19 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!** **Please view the message at the end of the chapter! Thank you!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 19**

On the top floor of Pokémon Tower, the shamans trembled as they watched their great ruler move slowly through the room, targeting one of their own. The huge ghost glared at the frightened shaman as she inched backward.

The ghost spoke in a deep ominous tone that sent shivers down her spine. "You have failed to gather the souls like I ordered you to."

The shaman trembled and bowed her head. "I'm so very sorry, oh great ruler! Please forgive me! I'll do better and get you more so-,"

The ghost's eyes burned red and his voiced boomed throughout the tower. "Silence!" The shaman bowed again and shook uncontrollably on the floor. "Do you not know who I am? I have been worshipped since ancient times! I am a god to you mortals! Your insolence in unforgiveable!"

With that, he extended his hand out and the shaman's body froze and levitated toward him. Despite her struggling and attempts to speak, she couldn't break free of his grip. His eyes glowed brighter and her eyes glowed in the same crimson hue.

Her mouth opened and her head tilted backward as her soul slowly and painfully left her body and into the mouth of the ghost.

When the ghost swallowed her soul, she became limp in his grip and he then dropped her to the floor. The other shamans watched as her body lay motionless.

The ghost turned to the rest of them. "Let this be a lesson to all of you! I'm the rightful ruler of this world! Find me more souls, or I shall take great delight in consuming all of yours!"

They all bowed as he disappeared.

* * *

Sabrina opened the doors to the tower and surveyed her surroundings. Dust and cobwebs littered the hallway and every door was closed. She took a quick deep breath and continued on. She knew this was her only chance to finally be rid of him, the horrible ghost that had been terrorizing not only the citizens of Lavender Town, but Saffron City as well.

It had been a long road coming. She was too weak to fight him before, but now, her powers were the best in the region. It was time to exact her revenge. She balled her hands as she continued down the hallway. "I'm not the weak little girl you saw before. I will kill you this time… Black Fog."

* * *

After walking through the heavily deserted streets of Lavender Town, the group stood in front of the seven-story tower. With no other lights, the tower looked scarier than imagined, leaving Mendy and Jin to get second thoughts.

Jin chuckled nervously. "Well, as expected of the place ghost pokémon hang around. It's supposed to be creepy, right?"

Nami trembled behind Mendy. "Well, I have an idea. Why don't we come back in the morning?"

Mendy turned to her with an upturned eyebrow. "Are you serious? Have you ever heard of a ghost that comes out during the day? Come on, I know you're scared, but it won't be long. We'll be out before you know it."

Nami looked up at her. "You sure?"

Mendy nodded. "Yep. Like I said, I'm sure it won't take Ayden long to catch a ghost pokémon. So, let's go."

Nami held her back. "Wait, why do all of us have to go?"

Jin turned to her. "Huh? You're kidding, right? We're here to support our friend as he makes a catch. Plus, this is a great chance to see ghost pokémon up close. Who'd want to miss out on an opportunity like this? Wait… you're not scared, are you?"

Nami's face reddened with a combination of embarrassment and anger. She jumped out from behind Mendy and held her hands to her hips. "What? Are you crazy? Me scared? Please! I'm the daughter of the greatest martial artist in the world! Do you really think I'd be scared of something as ridiculous as a ghost? Just who do you think I am?"

Jin grinned. "All right! Glad to hear it. Now, let's go!"

As the three cheered, they heard the creaking of a door. Nami squealed and jumped back behind Mendy. "What was that? Is a ghost coming out?"

They looked up to see Ayden had already gone inside the tower. Jin waved his hands up. "Hey! Wait up! We're coming too!"

With that, Jin, Mendy, and Nami entered the tower. They walked slowly and gazed upon the cryptic scenery before them. Nami shivered as she looked all around her. "This place is even creepier on the inside." The front door slammed shut, alerting the group and causing Nami to tighten her grip Mendy's arm. "The door just closed on its own! The ghosts are really coming for us!"

Ayden sighed. "If you're that scared, then just wait outside."

Nami glared at him. "Who says I'm scared? You trying to pick a fight or something, pal? Then bring it! I've been meaning to knock you down a few pegs!"

Mendy looked at Nami. "Nami, just calm down, will you? No one is calling you scared and we're not splitting up from each other. Like I said, we got here together and we're leaving together. For the time being, let's all hold hands so that we don't get separated."

Jin nodded and took hold of Nami's hand. "Good thinking. We may not know what sort of surprises this tower has in store for us, but if we stick together, we'll be able to get through it easily."

Mendy smiled. "Exactly." With that, she reached and took hold of Ayden's hand. "None of us are going to be alone in this. Okay?"

* * *

As they continued to walk through the hallway, Nami started to feel better. As long as she was with them, there wasn't any need to worry. Everything would be fine.

Ayden stopped in front of a door and then turned to the group. "Let's check in here." They all agreed and Ayden proceeded to slowly open the door. Inside was a dining room with a long table in the center. The table was adorned with a white cloth and several plates and silverware neatly arranged from one end to the other.

Jin adjusted his glasses. "I wasn't expecting a dining room in the middle of the tower. This is just weird."

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, wonder what all this is about."

They separated from each other and observed the room from different sections. As they continued to observe the room, they paused when they heard low-pitched cackling. Nami tightened her grip on Mendy's hand. "What was that? If that's either of you two, knock it off! That's not funny!"

Jin turned to her. "It's not us, Nami. Come on, let's just go to another-," he trailed off when the flooring beneath him broke and he fell through. Before any of the others could reach him, they heard a loud thud as he landed on the level below.

They all rushed over and gasped when they saw Jin lying on the floor with his eyes wide open. Blood trickled down the side of his head and his neck was broken.

Nami's eyes widened and tears started forming. They were too late. The ghosts had already gotten to them. They were going to pick them all off one by one. This was really happening. She gripped her head as all her fears came flooding out at once. She suddenly remembered the reason they all came here in the first place… it was because of him.

She turned toward Ayden and glared at him. "You! This is all your fault! If you hadn't dragged us all the way to this godforsaken town, Jin would still be with us!"

Ayden turned to her. He'd had enough. "I never even wanted any of you to come with me! None of this would've happened if you'd just stayed at the Center!"

Nami clenched her teeth. "Don't go pinning the blame on us, you jackass! I've had it up to here with you! I wish we'd never met you!"

At that, Piik charged up her cheeks and was ready to attack on Ayden's command.

Mendy stood up and separated the two of them. "Please! Stop fighting! This isn't anybody's fault!" She took a breath and calmed her voice. "We all decided to come here. We knew what we were getting into. Please don't dishonor Jin like this."

Ayden and Nami both relaxed their shoulders as her words quelled their anger. Ayden sighed and walked toward the door. "You two, try and get Jin and then get out of here. Piik and I will hold the ghosts off for you."

Mendy turned to him. "How many times do I have to say it? We're all leaving together! No one is getting left behind!"

Ayden found it harder to hold his anger in. "This isn't a game! Our lives are in danger here! You have to get out now!"

Mendy's anger spiked as well. "And what about you? We're just supposed to abandon you and leave you here with all the ghosts?"

As they continued to argue, Nami noticed all the silverware and plates floating. She trembled in fear as the knives and forks and thin-edged plates swirled around. "G-G-Guys. Guys. Guys!" They turned to her and she pointed to the tornado of silverware.

The silverware launched themselves at the group, cutting them up at least once with each strike.

Ayden furrowed his brow. "Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik jumped and launched her attack, but the electricity didn't stop the silver onslaught. The silverware struck faster, barely giving them time to react. A knife slashed Mendy across the cheek, while a fork stuck her in the leg.

Nami took notice and rushed to her side. "Mendy! Are you okay? Come on, let's go!"

Ayden, agreeing with Nami, pulled a fork out of his arm. "Piik, Thunderbolt the door!" Piik complied and blasted the door wide open. "Come on! Go-,"

Before he could do anything, knives flew at him and pinned him to the wall through his hands. Several other cutleries rained on him until he was covered in silverware and blood.

Mendy's eyes widened as he cried out in pain. "Oh, my God! Ayden, no!"

He breathed heavily as he watched her run toward him. "Get back! Just get out of here already!"

Mendy shook her head with tear-filled eyes as she tried to pull the silverware off his body. "Not without you! I'm not losing another friend!"

As she tried to get the knives out of his hands, Ayden turned to Nami. "Nami! Take Mendy and get out of here now!" He looked up and saw a butcher's knife gearing up to strike. His eyes widened. "Hurry! Get out of here!"

The knife charged at Ayden with both girls staring at it with widened eyes. Mendy tried to protect Ayden, but Piik pushed her out of the way toward Nami and readied an Iron Tail. As the knife closed in, she jumped up and swung at it, but it dodged her and slashed Ayden across the neck.

Both girls and Piik stared in horror as blood splattered the wall and spilled onto the floor. With tears streaming down their faces, Mendy and Piik rushed to him, but Nami picked Piik up and grabbed Mendy by the wrist as the silverware continued to attack. They bolted out of the room with Mendy and Piik protesting along the way.

Piik zapped Nami, forcing her to let her go, and ran back into the room.

Mendy looked back as she entered the room. "Piik, wait! Nami, stop! We have to go back for her!"

Nami shook her head. She couldn't risk losing Mendy as well. "I'm sorry, but we can't stop! We have to get out of here!"

The next thing they heard was Piik's screams. Mendy closed her eyes as she tried to block out Piik's screams.

Nami looked back and saw the silverware had followed them into the hallway. It didn't matter though, as the exit was right in front of them. They were almost there. They just had to get through the door.

Nami rammed the door open, and as soon as they were outside, she slammed it shut and fell to her knees crying.

How? Why? None of this made any sense. Why did any of this have to happen? She knew something terrible would happen if they entered the tower.

She took several deep breaths and calmed down enough to wipe away her tears. It was over though. They may have lost Jin and Ayden, but at least she was able to save Mendy.

She turned to Mendy and her eyes widened in horror as she saw her lying on the ground in a pool of blood with a knife in her back. She sprinted toward her and held her up. "Mendy! Mendy! Stay with me! Oh, God, please don't die on me! Mendy! Say something!" She looked up and around the dark streets of Lavender Town for anyone who might be there. "Help! Someone, help! We need a doctor now! Please! Anyone! My friend's in trouble! Help!"

Mendy slowly opened her eyes to Nami's worried face and smiled. She raised her hand up to Nami's cheek to draw her attention. "Nami… I'm… so glad… we became friends. We had… a lot of fun… together."

Nami's eyes widened. "Don't talk like that! Come on! I'm going to get you help! Just hang on!"

Mendy slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry… I don't think… I can."

Nami grabbed her hand. "Yes, you can! We'll get you a doctor! We'll get out of this place, and we'll go back to our journey! Just the two of us! Like it was before!" Her voice broke as tears fell. "You're going to be a great gym leader someday, remember? So, come on… you're… going to be all right. Just hang in there, okay? We'll go back to the way things used to be."

Mendy's smile slowly widened. "I'd… really… like that."

She closed her eyes and her head fell to the side. Nami grabbed her as the rest of her body became limp in her arms. "Mendy? Mendy? No. No. No. No. No! No! Please! Please wake up! Mendy! Mendy!" She held her tightly as she cried. Her voice echoed throughout the night as she lost the most important person in her life.

She cried until she was lying on the ground, still holding Mendy in her arms. How could this have happened? What did they do to deserve this? Then, a thought crossed her mind. A world without Mendy, was a world not worth living in.

She eyed the knife in Mendy's back and pulled it out. She stared at the blood-soaked blade before holding it up to her neck. At least this way, she'd be with her.

* * *

Inside the tower, near the entrance, Nami sat on her knees with her eyes glazed over with a purplish tint. In her hands, she held a large sharp shard of glass up to her neck. Surrounding her, above her head, were two Gastly and a Haunter; each with their eyes glowing in the same purplish tint as hers.

* * *

Jin entered the tower with Mendy and Nami behind him and they ran to catch up with Ayden. Jin placed his hand on Ayden's shoulders. "Hey, man, hold up! Remember, you don't have to go at this alone. We're right here with you."

Ayden looked at him then turned away. "You're only putting yourselves in danger. There's no reason for you to come with me."

Jin was taken aback by this. "What are you talking about? We're here because we're friends. Do we really need a reason?"

Ayden sighed and continued walking. "Just be careful, okay?"

Mendy smiled. "Don't worry about that. As long as we stick together, we'll be fine."

Nami crossed her arms. "Just who do you think you're talking to? I'm the daughter of the greatest martial artist in the world."

Jin laughed. "See? There's nothing to worry about, man. We're in this to the end. Come on! Let's go and catch that ghost pokémon!"

They continued down the hallway and made sure to be extra cautious about what they touched. Everything they saw looked like it would jump out and attack them at any given moment.

Ayden approached a door at the end of the hallway and placed his hand on the knob. "You guys ready?"

When they all nodded, Ayden slowly opened the door. Inside, they found a spiral staircase.

Jin gazed upward. "Wow, maybe this leads all the way to the top floor. There's bound to be some ghosts hanging around there."

Ayden nodded. "Right. Let's get going."

With that, he went up the stairs first, followed by Jin, then Mendy and Nami. As they continued upward, Mendy took notice of how each step they made caused the stairs to creak and wobble. She looked down and realized how high up they've climbed. She then turned her gaze toward Ayden and Jin as they continued. "Uh, you know, maybe we should go back. I don't really trust these stairs."

Jin looked back at her. "Well, they may be old, but they're holding up just fine. It's not much further to the top. Come on!"

Ayden took a step and his foot fell through, causing his section of the staircase to crumble away at his feet.

As he fell, Jin dove and caught Ayden by the wrists. "Ayden, hang on, man! I've got you!"

Mendy and Nami ran to help, but Mendy's foot fell through a portion of the stairs, knocking her off balance. Nami reached for her and grabbed her hand, only to be pulled down by her weight.

Jin reached with everything he had and grabbed Nami's free hand. He strained as he tried to pull them all up. "Guys! Hang on! I've… got… you!"

Nami cried out to Jin. "Jin! Hang in there! Don't let go!"

Sweat dampened Jin's brow as he pulled with all he had. "I'm… trying! Can't… let… go!"

Ayden reached for his belt. "Just hang on a little bit longer, Jin. I'm going to get Fearow out."

As he reached for Fearow's pokéball, the staircase shook, forcing Ayden to quickly reach for Jin's hand to keep balance, but Piik lost her grip and fell off of Ayden. Ayden's eyes widened as he watched Piik plummet to the floor.

Mendy and Nami looked away as Piik lay on the floor motionless. Ayden lost all his strength and dangled from Jin's grip. The staircase shook more, and Nami and Ayden began to slip out of his grip.

Jin looked down on them and gritted his teeth. "No! I… can't… lose… you… guys! Ayden! Grab… my… hand!" Ayden didn't hear him. He'd lost his first pokémon. How could he have let something like that happen? He continued to slip out of Jin's grip. "Ayden! Wake… up! You're… slipping!" Jin's eyes widened in horror as he lost his grip on both Ayden and Nami. He watched helplessly as all of them fell to the floor.

He sat there in shock. He'd just failed all his friends and let them die. It was all his fault. None of this would've happened if he'd turned back like Mendy suggested. He balled his hands as he tried to hold back his tears. His friends were counting on him and he let them down. He couldn't protect them. How could he be so weak?

As those thoughts filled his mind, the door at the top of the staircase opened. Mesmerized, he walked up the remainder of the stairs and found he'd come to a balcony.

He gazed upon the sight before him. A wonderful view of the town as the moon bathed it in its light. Everything looked amazing, and he'd wished he could share this moment with his friends.

Before he started to cry again, a thought crossed his mind. There was a way for him to share this moment with them… by joining them.

He walked up to the railing and climbed on it. The wind swept his face and he felt a sense of renewal. He opened his eyes and saw Ayden, Mendy, and Nami standing there with their hands reached out to him. They each ushered him to walk over to where they were. Jin allowed his tears to fall. Soon, he'd be with his friends again.

* * *

On the balcony, Jin stood on the railing with his arms wide open. His eyes were glazed with a purplish tint and two Haunters circled his head while having the same tint in their eyes. They both ushered him to take a step forward to which he complied.

* * *

Mendy held onto Ayden's hand as they both ran through the halls of the tower. Mendy kept looking back as paintings kept coming to life and attacking them. The ghosts had already gotten Jin and Nami, and Piik's attacks didn't work on them.

She turned to Ayden. "Ayden! What're we going to do?"

Ayden shook his head. "I don't know! We just have to keep running! There's not a lot we can do right now!"

They turned a corner and ran into a room. The moment they were in, Ayden closed the door and backed away from it.

Mendy gasped for air as she sat on the floor. She couldn't run anymore. She couldn't take it anymore. They never should've come to the tower. First Jin, then Nami; the thought finally made her realize, she'd never see them again. Tears fell as she cried into her hand. "I… can't believe… we'll never see them again. Why? Why did this have to happen?"

Ayden looked back at her then to the door. "Mendy… I'm sorry." Mendy looked up at him. "Those ghosts are going to find us sooner or later. When that happens, I'll distract them, you and Piik use that to get out of the tower."

Mendy stared at him in shock. Despite all that had happened, he was planning on sacrificing himself. "Are you crazy? There's no way I'll let you do that!"

Ayden turned to her. "What choice do we have here? What's most important is that you're safe!"

Mendy's eyes widened in shock. There it was again. That phrase. Every time he said it, her anger increased. It was as if he didn't care about his own safety. "And what about y-?"

"Just promise me this. When you get out of here, go find Mr. Owen, and work hard on your dream. I know you'll be a great gym leader someday."

Mendy blushed as he looked back at her. She gripped her shirt and clenched her teeth. What was this feeling? Why was her heart beating so fast?

Before she could continue her train of thought, the door blew open and the ghosts walked into the room. Ayden did his best to shield Mendy. "Piik!" At his call, Piik jumped in between him and the ghosts. "You ready?" Piik nodded. "Okay! Thunderbolt!" Piik launched her attack and the electricity went through the ghosts.

One of the ghosts bypassed Piik and made its way toward Mendy. She shrieked as the ghosts moved closer. The ghost wound up and attacked, forcing Mendy to cover her eyes and defend herself with her arms. She looked up and saw Ayden over her with a knife through his torso.

Her eyes widened in horror as blood spilled out of him and he fell forward into her arms. "Ayden! No! Ayden! Come on! Don't die! You can't die! Ayden! Ayden!"

No matter how many times she called his name, he didn't respond. She tightened her embrace as she cried. Tears cascaded down her face and her voice resonated throughout the room.

What was this feeling? Why was she sadder at losing Ayden than when she lost Jin or Nami? She didn't understand any of it. She saw the ghosts approach her and she relaxed her shoulders. It didn't matter. She'd already lost her friends, and they had her surrounded. There was no point in fighting it anymore.

* * *

Mendy sat in a room in the far corner of the tower. Her eyes glazed over with a purple tint as a Haunter and Gastly hovered over her.

The Haunter picked up a knife and waved it in her face. Mendy gave a nod and prepared to face the same fate as her friends. Haunter laughed as it readied the knife and charged at her. When it was close to her chest, a shockwave blew Haunter and Gastly away. They looked up and saw Sabrina standing beside Mendy. She placed her hand on her shoulder and teleported them both out of the room.

Jin took a step off the balcony and fell. Sabrina teleported to where he was in the air and then teleported them both away.

Nami readied her arms and thrusted the knife toward her throat. Before the blade reached her neck, her hands were stopped by Sabrina. She forced the knife out of her grip and then teleported her out of the room and back outside.

When all three were safely on the ground, Sabrina pulled out a pokéball and opened it. "Go, Kadabra." Kadabra appeared in a flash of light. "Kadabra, use Psychic to end the Hypnosis." The bipedal pokémon's eyes glowed white and the purplish tint in their eyes disappeared.

They each woke up and looked around wondering what had happened and where they were. It didn't take long for them to look at each other and realize they were alive. Tears filled their eyes and their bodies trembled as they tried to recover from the horrible experience they just witnessed.

Mendy drew in several deep breaths. "H-How? How are we… what just happened?"

Sabrina stepped forward. "You were all under the Hypnosis attack. The moment you entered the tower, the ghost pokémon hypnotized each one of you. Everything you saw, felt, and did, was an illusion. It would appear, those illusions made you see things and forced you to react in a way that would take your own life."

Their eyes widened with shock as they all tried to process what she'd just said. Jin looked at his hands as they shook uncontrollably. That was an illusion? But, everything felt so real. He saw his friends die. He was going to take his own life. He held his stomach as he vomited as everything hit him at once.

Nami trembled and cried as she gazed upon Mendy. She was alive. She felt relieved and at the same time was disgusted. Of all the people to help them, it had to be her.

Sabrina looked at each of them as they tried to recover. "I believe I told you all that going into the tower was not safe right now. You should all go back to the Pokémon Center."

They each looked at each other and realized none of them wanted to go back into the tower after that. Mendy sniffed back tears as she watched Sabrina head back into the tower. "Wait… what about you? Why didn't the illusions affect you?"

Sabrina looked back at her. "My psychic powers are able to repel the illusions. Only those with this kind of ability are able to enter the tower safely at this point."

Jin looked around and realized something important. "Wait! What about Ayden? Where is he?"

Mendy's eyes widened in horror as she just realized he wasn't there. "Y-You don't think he's still in the tower, do you?"

Jin trembled in fear as the thought ran through his mind. He looked over at Sabrina. "Did you see Ayden in there? Do you know where is he?"

Sabrina shook her head. "I was unable to sense your friend. I imagine he's already met his end."

Nami and Jin's eyes widened and Mendy took in shallow breaths as she tried to process what she just heard. "W-W-Wait… what did you just say? What do you mean he's already met his end?"

Sabrina turned to the tower. "Your friend… was destined to die at the tower today."

* * *

One of the shamans waved her hands around and chanted, channeling her energy into her ghost pokémon. The ghosts followed Ayden around as he walked the halls of the tower. Each of them launched their Hypnosis attack on him only for him to continue walking without incident. After a while, she stopped. "Why? Why doesn't it work?"

Another shaman looked at her. "What do you mean? You're still trying to hypnotize that boy?"

The first shaman nodded. "Yes, we've been at it for a long while, but Haunter and Gastly's Hypnosis isn't working on him. It doesn't make any sense. Looks like we'll have to take a more drastic approach. Gastly, Haunter, possess that boy and his Pikachu."

Both ghosts nodded and approached Ayden and Piik. Haunter targeted Ayden and its eyes turned crimson. Like so many others, possessing him wouldn't take too much effort. Haunter extended his hand toward Ayden. The moment Haunter placed his hand on Ayden, it and Gastly were immediately repelled backward into the nearest wall.

They looked up at Ayden as he continued to walk as if nothing happened. Though he wasn't doing anything, they could sense an immense aura from him that paralyzed them both with fear.

The shaman felt a strong shock that knocked off her feet. The other shaman went over to her and lifted her up. She held her head as she trembled in fear. "That boy! His soul… his soul is unlike anything I've ever felt before! It felt ancient… and powerful!"

* * *

Ayden continued to walk through the tower with Piik riding on his shoulder. He'd look back every now and then to make sure nothing was behind him. He was also curious as to why Mendy and the others hadn't come in yet. Although, it was for the best. This task didn't concern them, and if what Sabrina said was true, they were a lot safer outside. That's all that mattered.

As he turned a corner, he and Piik saw a Gengar and a Haunter as they made their way through the hallways carrying buckets of popcorn and other assorted snacks.

Gengar took notice of Ayden and immediately came to a stop, prompting Haunter to do the same. The four stared at each other in disbelief. Ayden upturned an eyebrow as he wondered if these were the ghosts of Pokémon Tower everyone was talking about, and Gengar and Haunter nearly jumped for joy when they realized they finally have an audience.

They had been waiting for this day for a long time. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Gengar and Haunter threw their snacks away and began the routine they've been practicing. They bounced up and down and Gengar stretched Haunter's face, while Haunter made his own eyes bug out.

They ceased their comedy routine and stared at Ayden hoping for a positive review. However, what they received was far from what they wanted. Ayden, with his arms folded, stared back at them without the slightest bit of amusement on his face.

The two ghosts stared at Ayden for a moment longer before going into act two of their routine. They knew this next part would make anyone laugh. Gengar grabbed a paper fan and swung at Haunter while Haunter pretended to pick up some money. Gengar missed and whacked itself in the face. They held hands and took a bow.

They looked up at Ayden and were shocked by his stone-cold expression. They couldn't believe it. Their routine didn't make him laugh. He didn't even smirk.

When he was certain their routine was over, he sighed. "If this was supposed to make me laugh, you can forget it. I don't have time for your stupid jokes. Not that your routine was funny in the first place." His words devastated the two pokémon and they fell to the floor in defeat. Were they really not funny? Was all that practicing and studying for nothing? "And you're supposed to be the dreaded, terror-inducing, ghosts of Pokémon Tower? You're not at all what I'd expected. Look, I didn't come all the way out here to watch your dumb comedy show. I came here to catch one of you so I can defeat Sabrina."

Gengar and Haunter, depressed by Ayden's words, sank into the floor; hoping to reevaluate their view on their world.

Ayden furrowed his brow. He couldn't let them escape. He'd come too far to let this chance slip by. "Piik! Don't let them get away! Stop them with Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged up her cheeks and shot a bolt of electricity at them as fast as she could, but she had just missed them. The force of her attack shook the floor all the way to the ceiling disturbing a chandelier, causing a couple of its screws to fall out. After a moment, the whole chandelier fell off the ceiling over Piik's head.

Ayden's eyes widened as he saw the chandelier fall. His body moved before he could even think. He dove toward Piik and covered her before the chandelier crashed on them.

Piik didn't know what had happened. All she heard was a crash and then nothing. She woke up in Ayden's arms and breathed a sigh of relief. He was right there with her. There was nothing to worry about. She called out to him, but he didn't answer. She stared at him in confusion and called out to him again, but he didn't respond.

Something wasn't right. He always responded to her. She wiggled her way out of his grip until she was out from underneath the chandelier. She took a step and her foot touched something sticky. She looked down and her eyes widened in horror as she saw a pool of blood expand around Ayden's body. This wasn't happening. Not to him. Not to Ayden.

She looked around frantically for the exit. She needed to get help. She needed to find the others. They'd know what to do. She ran as fast as she could through the halls, hoping to get to the front door.

* * *

Mendy, Nami, and Jin looked at Sabrina in disbelief. Sabrina recalled Kadabra and turned to the group. "I'm sorry for your friend, but this is the truth. I've foreseen the events."

Mendy shook her head. "Wait! This doesn't make any sense! What do you mean you've 'foreseen the events'? What do you mean Ayden was 'destined to die'?"

Sabrina turned to her. "It means exactly as it sounds. I have the ability to see into the future. I've seen the boy's destiny. He will die in the tower today."

Mendy stared at her unable to say anything. There were so many questions filling her head, she didn't know which one to start with.

Nami, sensing Mendy's confusion, decided to step in. "If you knew he was going to die, then why didn't you stop him at all costs?"

Sabrina turned to her. "It wouldn't have mattered. Ayden would've found his way to the tower regardless."

Jin clenched his teeth as his frustrations grew. If what she said is true, then they were wasting their time and needed to go get him. "Well, then go and teleport in and get him!"

Sabrina shook her head. "I've already told you; I cannot sense your friend. That is the only thing that has puzzled me. I can easily sense each and every one of you, except him. When we were in the Pokémon Center, I believe I felt a power from him… a very strong power. That must be why I can't sense him like I can you three. It was as if I was being blocked from his mind."

Jin blinked in confusion. "Power? What power? Ayden doesn't have anything like that."

Nami felt her anger grow. Not only was she talking to the one person she can't stand, but she was speaking in riddles. First saying Ayden will die and that he has some kind of power? What kind of nonsense was this? She had to put an end to it. "Okay, fine! You can't sense him! Is there anything you actually can do?"

At that, they all turned to the entrance of the tower as the doors blew off their hinges. Piik ran out breathing heavily and calling for them.

When they saw her distressed tear-stained face ushering them to follow her, they knew something was wrong. Something had happened to Ayden.

Mendy's eyes widened and she felt her stomach drop. "No." It couldn't be true. Sabrina was wrong. There had to be some kind of mistake. All her fears pertaining to the tower had disappeared and she ran back in without hesitation.

Jin too ran into the tower with Nami closely behind him. Sabrina watched them enter the tower and then sighed. It was just as she predicted.

They went down the hallways until they approached the one with the broken chandelier. The group gasped at the sight of Ayden's body buried underneath all the shards of glass. They rushed over and gently eased the chandelier off him.

After getting the chandelier off, Jin began checking Ayden's breathing and pulse. Ayden's condition was worse than he anticipated. The weight of the chandelier dug into his skin, leaving print marks and stab wounds. On top of that, he'd lost a lot of blood.

He felt for his pulse and checked his breathing, but Ayden was unresponsive. No matter how many times he tried, it ended the same way. His eyes widened when the reality hit him. He dropped his shoulders and sat up.

Mendy saw his expression and knew she wasn't going to like the answer to her next question. "Jin… how is he?"

Jin paused and then solemnly shook his head.

Mendy's heart sank. She fell to her knees and stared at Ayden's body. This wasn't happening. This had to be a dream. Another illusion. There's no way Ayden could be gone. He's tougher than that. Smarter than that. This had to be another illusion.

Mendy grinned as that thought played out. It all made sense. This was nothing but an illusion set up by the ghost pokémon. Her grin turned into a smile and she started chuckling. She was on to them. They weren't even in the tower at all. She bet they were still outside.

She turned to the group with a smile. "Guys, don't worry. I've figured it out. This is all an illusion."

Nami gave her a confused look. "Mendy, what are you talking about?"

Mendy stood up. "Don't you get it? We never entered the tower. It's just like it was last time. We're all caught in an illusion by the ghost pokémon. Ayden's not dead. This is all fake."

Jin dropped his shoulders and wiped away his tears. "Mendy… this isn't an illusion."

Piik sniffed back tears as she nodded in agreement.

Mendy shook her head. "Guys, I'm telling you. This is all an illusion." She looked up and saw Sabrina join the group. "You know it is, right, Sabrina?"

Sabrina looked at her and crossed her arms. "I've already told you, Hypnosis doesn't work on me, if you were in an illusion, I would've immediately sensed it and brought you out of it. I'm afraid this isn't an illusion. My prediction came to be as I said it would."

Mendy nervously chuckled and walked toward the group. "I get it. You're in on it! You want us to think we're not under an illusion, but you're working with the ghost pokémon to fool us! Now, undo the illusion! We have to find Ayden! Come on, guys! Help me out here!"

Nami gripped her arms and stared at Mendy with tear-filled eyes. It became harder to watch her continue like this.

Jin balled his fists and fought to keep his tears from falling. How could he have let this happen? How could he have been afraid to go back into the tower? If he had been there sooner, none of this would've happened. And he wanted to be a Pokémon Watcher? What kind of a Pokémon Watcher is afraid of ghost pokémon living in their own home? He didn't deserve to be called such. As the thoughts raced through his mind, the tears fell one after the other and he pounded his fist against the floor.

Piik cried as she realized this was her fault. She fired the attack that caused the chandelier to fall. If she'd been more mindful, Ayden wouldn't have protected her.

Mendy looked back on them all and smiled. "What are you guys getting so worked up for? You realize this is fake, right? None of this is real. Ayden is still alive. We just need to undo the illusion and go find him." Jin, Piik, and Nami looked at Mendy and could see tears forming in her eyes. She walked up to Sabrina and placed her hands on her shoulders. "So, come on, undo the illusion! This isn't funny anymore! We have to find Ayden! We promised that we'd all get out of this together! Hurry up and undo the illusion! Undo it now!"

Nami tightened her grip on her arms. She couldn't take it anymore. As her friend, she had to stop her, even if it meant showing her something she didn't want to see. "Mendy!"

Nami's voice paralyzed her and silence fell upon the room. Mendy slowly looked at her with tear-filled eyes.

Nami gritted her teeth as tears fell. She couldn't even look at her when she was like this. "Please… just stop. He's gone."

Mendy lowered her head in despair. She didn't want to believe Nami's words, but knew they were true. She went over to his body and fell to her knees.

She didn't know what to do. Nothing was making sense anymore. All her thoughts and feelings were whirling around her at the same time she didn't know which one to focus on. She felt angry, depressed, and sorrowful as she gazed upon Ayden.

The first thought that came to her was she wanted him to pay for her bike. That's the reason she started following him in the first place. She told herself she wasn't going to let him out of her sight until he paid her back.

Somehow, they'd become friends. It took a while, but Ayden had started to open up to them and she was actually enjoying it. She wanted to continue to learn more about him. She also felt something even deeper was hurting her. Something that had been bugging her since Cerulean. For a while, she didn't know what this feeling was. She just knew that with the way things were, all the feelings she had for him; whether good or bad; were never going to reach him again.

She gripped Ayden's shirt and rested her head on his stomach. She let her tears fall as she sobbed. Her sobbing soon turned into cries and her voice echoed throughout the hall.

* * *

 ******* **I hope you enjoyed the chapter!** **Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it.**

 *****Chapter 20 will be posted around the same time at the end of October! So look forward to the next chapter and have great night!**


	20. What's Most Important

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Welcome to chapter 20 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!** **Please view the message at the end! Thank you!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 20**

Ayden stood staring around in a world of pure white. The atmosphere was calm and the scenery stretched for miles in every direction. He didn't know where he was; but for the first time in years, he felt the best he ever had. His mind was clear, and every burden he had up to that point had disappeared.

He called out for Piik, but she didn't answer. He reached for his pokémon, but they were gone as well.

In the distance, he heard several people call out his name. He turned toward the voices, but no one was there. He tried calling out to them, but the only answer he received was them calling out his name.

A light shined in his face, forcing him to cover his eyes. Not knowing which way to go, he decided to go toward the light, hoping to find an answer to all this.

He slowly made his way through the light. The closer he got, the stronger the light shined. It came to the point he had to close his eyes. He extended his hand and continued walking. He soon felt a hand grab his wrist. He tried to see who it was, but the light was too intense for him to get a good look.

The person released his wrist and spoke. "That was a close one. It's too early for you to enter this area. If you did, you'd never be able to go back."

Ayden tried to open his eyes, but all he could make out was a silhouette. "What do you mean? Who are you?"

The person chuckled. "That's something for another time. For now, you have to hurry and get back. Your soul is too damaged and is in danger of being trapped here. You have to repair it quickly. Until you can, you won't be able to return to the world of the living." The world shined brighter, forcing Ayden to cover his eyes. "We'll see each other again someday. Until then, take care of yourself." The light soon engulfed him until he disappeared.

* * *

Ayden opened his eyes and found he was back in the hallway of Pokémon Tower. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't do what he wanted it to.

He looked down and saw his body lying motionless on the floor. His eyes widened when he realized he'd been completely separated from his body. He trembled as he looked at his hands. "I'm… a ghost?"

He saw the chandelier and it all came back to him. It almost landed on Piik, but he pushed her out of the way and took the hit instead. The impact must've killed him.

He took a breath and relaxed himself. This was no time to panic. All he had to do was get back in his body and everything would be back to normal. He reached for his body, but his fingers went through it. He hovered over himself trying to find a way to get back inside, but nothing seemed to work.

As he struggled to get back in his body, he looked up to see Haunter and Gengar stare at him from around the corner. When he met their gaze, they quickly ran away.

Ayden extended his hand to them. "Hey, wait! Get back here!" He clicked his tongue in irritation. He tried to move, but soon realized his new form didn't function the same as his physical body. The moment he stepped onto the floor; his foot passed through it. He tried to levitate his body higher, but couldn't figure out how.

Haunter and Gengar reappeared and watched as Ayden struggled to get used to his new appearance. They watched as he carefully, yet unsuccessfully, placed his foot on the floor only for it to pass through. His stumbling and continued fails delighted the ghosts. He was just what they were looking for; the straight man in their comedy act. He was perfect. They flew over and lifted him up.

Ayden looked at the two as they took hold of his arms. "What are you guys doing?" Without saying a word, Haunter and Gengar lifted Ayden up and the flew to the upper levels of the tower.

* * *

Gastly sat on his swing set in the middle of the room wearing a huge smile as he swung back and forth. He stopped when he heard screaming and turned to see Haunter and Gengar arrive with their new friend. He floated off the swing and flew around the room in jubilation.

Ayden looked around as the three ghost pokémon laughed. The room was littered with toys, games, and snacks. In the middle of the room was a merry-go-round; and an old television set stood in the corner.

Ayden's confusion only increased. These were the dreaded ghosts of Pokémon Tower that had been terrorizing the citizens of Lavender Town? It didn't make any sense. They seemed like little kids, if anything else.

His thoughts were interrupted when Haunter and Gengar decided to let him go and he fell. Even though he was a ghost, he had absolutely no control over himself. He flapped his arms to keep himself from falling, but continued to plummet toward the floor. Before he fell through the wooden flooring, Haunter reached out and caught him. Ayden breathed a sigh of relief as Haunter lifted him back up.

Ayden wrapped his arm around Haunter. "Thanks. This is all new and completely unreal to me. I have no idea how any of this is supposed to work."

The three laughed as they knew they made the right choice in bringing him along. He was going to be the perfect addition to their comedy team.

Haunter eased Ayden off him and gave him a brief lesson on flying around. After a few mistakes, Ayden soon learned how to control himself. The three applauded as they congratulated their first graduate.

Ayden flew toward them. "Thanks for the lesson. So, what exactly is the deal? Are you three really the ghosts of Pokémon Tower that've been terrorizing people?"

The three quickly shook their heads. They didn't want to terrorize people, they wanted to make people laugh.

Ayden crossed his arms. "Okay. If not you, then who?"

Suddenly, they felt an immense pressure push down on them. Ayden fell to the floor on his hands and knees. He felt as if he was being crushed. He looked up and saw the three ghosts flying around in a panic and then disappear. "Hey! What's… going… on? Where… are… you… going?"

* * *

Black Fog hovered over the shamans, and they could see he was not pleased. They've never seen that look on his face before and they knew something very bad was going to happen to them.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar arrived in time to see the spectacle Black Fog was about to display.

"You… have failed again to bring me souls! Where are the souls you promised me? You had five humans enter the tower, and not one soul was offered to me!"

The shamans all bowed their heads. One of them lifted her head to speak. "Great ruler! We did not expect those humans to be able to repel the hypnosis! One of them was a very strong Esper and another had a soul that was so powerful he couldn't be hypnotized or possessed! We've never felt a power like that before!"

Black Fog turned to her. "Are you suggesting this power is even greater than that of my own?"

The shaman bowed her head. "Oh, no, great ruler! That is not what I meant at all! I was only implying-,"

"Such insolence!" The shamans all shook as they kowtowed to him. "For you to think there's a power greater than mine is inconceivable! I am a god! I will not tolerate such blasphemy! It's obvious I cannot trust any of you to bring me the souls I desire! Therefore, I'll shall use you all to act upon my will!"

His eyes glowed red and all of the shamans screamed as Black Fog's Hypnosis affected them. All of their eyes turned red to match his and they soon sat up on their knees, waiting for him to give them their next set of orders.

Black Fog nodded. "That's better. Now, each of you scatter about the tower, find those humans, and bring me their souls! Then, go out into town and get me every soul there!"

With that, he disappeared and the shamans stood up and left the room.

* * *

The pressure weighing Ayden down soon disappeared and he could finally move around again. Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar reappeared and joined Ayden on the floor.

Ayden turned to them. "What was that? Where did it come from?"

The ghosts looked at each other before nodding. They didn't see any harm in telling him about the true leader of Pokémon Tower. Afterall, if he was going to be their new roommate, he had to know all the ends and outs of the place.

Gastly's eyes lit up in a purplish hue and the surrounding scenery changed before Ayden's eyes. He was shown what the tower looked like several decades before any of this had happened through Gastly's view point.

The tower was a well-kept building that gave off an atmosphere of peace. People had come to pay their respects to pokémon that had departed. Though sad, the visitors were able to smile knowing their loved ones had found peace.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar had been living in the tower, helping the souls of departed pokémon find their way to the afterlife. To help the souls make it through easier, they entertained them with jokes and sketches they had studied from various comedians. Watching the souls pass on while laughing, brought a sense of fulfillment to them. It was simple, but they couldn't have been happier. Soon, not only would they make the souls of the departed laugh, but they'll take their comedy around the world and make everyone laugh. They'll be the greatest comedy trio the world had ever seen.

The illusion blurred and showed the tower as it was a few years ago. One day, the three ghosts heard a racket throughout the tower. When they went to inspect it, they saw a Marowak running throughout the tower with her baby Cubone beside her. Behind them were several people dressed in black chasing them with various weapons in hand.

They drove the Marowak and her child into a room, where they boxed them into a corner. The Marowak used her bone club and attacked the wall, creating an escape route for her child. As soon as the Cubone was through the exit, Marowak attacked her pursuers. The pursuers fought back with their stun batons. In the heat of the battle, a vase was knocked over and shattered on the floor. Before long, the group had attacked Marowak to the point she lied motionless on the floor.

As they looked at her battered body, the leader of the group arrived. One of the people turned to him. "It got away, sir. This one protected it."

Ayden's eyes widened. It was exactly what his vision showed him. These were the pieces of the vision he was missing.

The leader clicked his tongue then kicked the Marowak. "Damn thing cost us a fortune. Go and find that Cubone! It couldn't have gotten far!"

The group saluted and exited the room. Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar went over to Marowak and proceeded to try and help her pass on, but immediately jumped back when they sensed a powerful aura surround her. They looked around and saw the shattered vase had seals on it. An apparition emerged from the vase and made its way toward Marowak. They trembled as the ghost flew across the room with its unimaginable power. They saw the ghost lift Marowak's body and extract her soul out of it.

Marowak looked at the ghost as it smiled. "My child, I am Black Fog. Do you seek vengeance upon those humans?" Marowak nodded. "I can give you that power, but your soul will belong to me." Marowak nodded again and the ghost's smile widened. "Excellent!"

The ghost's eyes glowed red and it entered Marowak's soul. Marowak floated for a moment before her eyes opened, revealing the same red hue the ghost had. She raised her arms and all the doors to the tower closed, locking the pursuers inside. She immediately made her way toward them and Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar followed.

When they arrived, they saw Marowak annihilate the pursuers. With her new powers, she easily dominated them and each one fell to the floor. After the last person fell, her eyes glowed and she extracted their souls. Their souls flew toward her and merged into her own. Her appearance changed as the dark aura around her grew larger and darker. The number of souls she devoured was enough for Black Fog to reemerge and take over. Her appearance changed to that of a large black apparition.

Black Fog smiled as he looked over his form. "Yes, this is a good start. Soon, I'll be back to full strength and then reclaim my rightful place as a god." He tried to leave the tower, but was repelled. "What is this?" He tried several times to leave, but found he couldn't. "Why can I not leave this place?" His eyes widened when he realized. "I see. It's you, my child. You dare use the powers I bestowed upon you to bind me to this repugnant tower. Do you think you can stop me from devouring more souls? I have been imprisoned in that vase for centuries. I will continue to devour these mortals until I reclaim my right as a god! I will not allow something as weak as you to stop me!"

The illusion blurred again and showed the tower as a decrepit building that had long since lost is splendor. No one dared to go into the tower anymore. Any who did were never seen again. Rumors started that the spirit of a departed pokémon was haunting the tower and killing all those who entered.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar watched as Black Fog indiscriminately killed all who entered the tower. With each soul he took, they could feel him getting stronger.

With no one willing to go and take care of it, the people of Lavender Town realized they needed professional help in getting rid of the ghost. So, they called upon shamans to help exorcise it. However, Black Fog had grown too powerful for them, and they were easily defeated. Instead of devouring their souls, he knew they'd be more useful to him if he were to put each of them under Hypnosis. Since then, they had been working for him in collecting souls; chanting spells to get people out of their homes and into the tower.

The illusion then changed to a moment ago with Black Fog hypnotizing the shamans and ordering them to find the humans. The illusion ended and the room turned back to normal.

Ayden stared at the three ghosts and crossed his arms. "I see. So, that's what happened to the tower. Black Fog is the reason behind all of this; and those shamans are just his pawns as well. Now he's after my friends. We have to find a way to stop him."

All three ghosts freaked out when he suggested they try to stop him. They shook their heads defiantly. None of them were a match for Black Fog. Going up against him would be suicide.

Ayden furrowed his brow. "So, you're just going to let Black Fog devour all the souls he wants? What happened to your dream, huh? You wanted to be famous comedians, right? I'd find it hard to believe you'd make anyone laugh when you don't have an audience." Their eyes widened in shock. They hadn't thought about that. "Look, we're running out of time. If you don't help me take Black Fog down, he's going to kill my friends. I can't let that happen, but I can't stop him alone. I'll need your help. Help me get back to my body. Is there a way to do it?"

The three ghosts looked at each other and thought for a moment as they weighed their options. Give up on dream, or suicide mission? It was a trickier decision than they thought. After a bit, they each turned back to Ayden and then gave a nod.

Ayden nodded back. "Great. Let's go."

* * *

Ayden, Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar flew through the tower until they were back in the hallway where his body was. Ayden was taken aback as he saw his friends mourning over him. He had to get back inside his body and warn them about the shamans and Black Fog.

He reached down and tried to touch his body only for his hand to pass through again. He clenched his teeth in frustration. He didn't have time for this.

He turned to the ghost pokémon. "Tell me; how can I get back inside my body? I have to warn them!" The trio looked at each other and then shrugged. Ayden furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? I thought you could help get me back to life?"

Gengar moved his arms and pointed at Ayden and his body as he tried to explain. Ayden nodded as he understood Gengar's explanation. "So, what you're saying is that it normally takes a spirit to reunite with its body in order for someone to come back to life? However, in my case, something is preventing me from returning?" All three ghosts nodded and clapped as they couldn't believe he understood all that.

Ayden clenched his fists. What was he missing? What was preventing him from returning to his body?

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain throughout his being. It felt like the pain before he saw one of his visions, but this time it affected his entire body. The excruciating pain forced him to descend to the floor.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar stared at him with worry. They had no idea what was going on or even how to help. All they could do was watch as Ayden suffered through the pain.

He looked at his hands and his eyes widened when he saw they were disintegrating. "What's going on? What's happening to me?" He then remembered the person who spoke to him before. "He said I had to hurry and repair my soul, but how?"

He felt another strong jolt throughout his being that caused him to writhe on the floor. He looked at his feet and saw they were disintegrating just like his hands. He had to figure out the meaning behind those words. Otherwise, he'd never return to his body. His eyes widened. He'd never return to his body? He'd stay dead? If he stayed dead, then he'd never fulfill the promise he made to his brother. He couldn't let that happen.

He closed his eyes, relaxed his shoulders, and emptied his mind. He soon found himself floating in a sea of darkness. He turned around to see a pair of large green eyes staring fixedly at him. Ayden couldn't see the creature, but knew it was there to help.

He extended his hand out and creature responded. "I knew you'd find a way to reconnect us, Ayden." It's eyes glowed and Ayden's eyes, along with the branding on his back, reacted.

* * *

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar watched eagerly as Ayden seemed to have gone into a meditative state. Their eyes widened when they saw his soul was becoming whole again. When he was complete again, they jumped back in shock when he opened his eyes. Their colors had changed to a fiery gold and an icy blue. In addition, there was an aura surrounding him that the three found mesmerizing.

They couldn't take their eyes off him. They felt they could follow him wherever he went without question.

He turned to them. "Thank you for all your help." With that, he slowly descended back into his body.

* * *

Ayden stirred and slowly opened his eyes. It worked. He was back in the world of the living. Now that he was back in his body, the pain of being hit by the chandelier returned to him as well, and he found he couldn't move. He felt something heavy on his stomach, but didn't have the strength to lift his head. He heard crying and then had an idea of who it was.

"Men… dy? Why… are you crying? You're acting like someone died."

Mendy jolted her head up and she looked at Ayden. His eyes were barely open, but he was looking back at her. She couldn't believe it. This was real. She wasn't dreaming. "Guys! He's alive! He's alive!" She reached over and hugged him. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. "Ayden! You're alive!"

Piik smiled and ran up to Ayden's head and hugged him. Tears kept falling even though she was so happy.

Jin wiped away tears and chuckled. "Dude, you had us all going there. But you're really okay, man. I didn't think it was possible, but who would've thought tears would bring you back to us? I was about to cry you an ocean and everything."

Nami wiped away tears and then crossed her arms. "Well, just so you know, you're not allowed to die on us! At least not until you pay Mendy back for the bike!"

Ayden stared at her and lightly smiled. "I'll… try to keep that in mind."

Sabrina stared at Ayden in shock. How could it be? She foresaw that he would die. How was it possible for him to still be alive? Her predictions were never wrong. Just what was it about this boy? First, she couldn't sense him, and now her predictions about him were wrong. Just what kind of power did this boy possess? Could they be even greater than her own?

Ayden slowly sat up with Mendy carefully helping him. "Ayden, are you sure you're okay to move?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about it."

Mendy's eyes widened. "No need to worry? What are you talking about? You were hit by a chandelier, for crying out loud! Of course we'd be worried about you! We all thought you'd died! How can you possibly say there's no need to worry?"

Ayden sighed and leaned against the wall. "What's most important is that Piik's okay. The chandelier almost hit her. You shouldn't waste your time worrying about me."

Mendy's eyes widened and anger quickly took over. Without hesitation, she slapped Ayden across the face to Jin and Nami's surprise. Ayden turned back to Mendy's angry expression.

Mendy hadn't felt this angry before. She trembled as she tried to sort out her words. "Don't… ever… say that again! Your life is just as important as everyone else's! Don't go acting like it's something you can just easily throw away! Do you not realize how many people would be sad if you were gone? Did you ever stop to think how we would feel? We care about you a lot!"

Ayden looked at Mendy and then to Jin, Nami, and Piik. Piik nodded while wiping away tears, and then jumped onto Ayden's shoulders.

Jin nodded as well. "She's right, man. We're friends after all, and you mean a lot to us. I wouldn't want to lose you."

Ayden relaxed his shoulders and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Mendy smiled and hugged him. "It's okay. As long as you keep that in mind."

Nami crossed her arms and averted gaze. There it was again. Why was she getting irritated with seeing them together? "Great, now that that's all settled, can we please get out of this godforsaken tower already?"

Ayden's eyes widened. He'd almost forgotten about Black Fog. "No, we can't leave just yet!"

Nami scowled. "Why not?"

* * *

After Ayden explained everything, everyone's eyes widened.

Mendy placed her hands to her mouth. "This is terrible! What can we do?"

Ayden turned to her. "We're going to have to fight our way up the tower, and take Black Fog down ourselves."

Jin turned to Ayden. "How do you know all this anyway, man?"

Ayden pointed towards the other room. "From them." Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar stared at the group from the other room before disappearing. "It's okay. You can come out. They're my friends."

The three ghosts reappeared and slowly advanced toward the group. Nami screamed and hid behind Mendy. "Keep them away! Keep them away! Keep them away!"

Ayden shook his head. "There's nothing to be afraid of. They're the ones who helped me. They showed me what life was like for them before Black Fog was released. And, they've agreed to help with this fight."

Jin smiled. "Well, in that case, nice to meet you! Thank you for helping out! We'll get this place back to the way it was!"

The ghosts looked at each other and then at Jin before putting on huge smiles.

Sabrina stepped forward. "Black Fog is the reason I've come to this tower. He's done terrible things not only to the people of this town, but to a very special friend of mine. My goal is to finally put an end to his terror. I now realize I'll need your help in destroying him. His powers have grown farther than I have imagined."

Ayden nodded. "We won't let him do as he pleases anymore. If we don't hurry, he'll take the souls of every person he can find around this world. Are you guys in?"

Piik nodded and Jin punched his palm. "Heck yeah, I'm in! After what this Black Fog's been putting us through, bustin' this ghost is gonna feel good!"

Mendy smiled. "And I'm in, too. And this time, we're going to get through this tower together. No illusions, no splitting up, and no worries. Agreed?"

Ayden nodded. "Are you all ready?" When everyone nodded, Ayden stood up. "All right, then let's go."

With that, they headed up to the next level of the tower.

* * *

 *****I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it.**

 *****So, looking back, I've realized that this chapter more than likely could've been combined with the last, but I've been trying to shorten my chapters and wanted to see how that would work. Hopefully, you all didn't mind it. If you did, let me know, and I'll try to lengthen my chapters again.**

 *****For the part of the story with Gastly showing the history of Pokémon Tower, I referenced that moment to the episode, A Shipful of Shivers, where Gastly showed Ash and his friends an illusion about his trainer. So, I figured Gastly had the ability to show people their memories via illusions.**

 *****Chapter 21 will be posted around the same time at the end of November! So look forward to the next chapter and have great night!**


	21. The Top Floor! Battle Against Black Fog

**Welcome to chapter 21 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls!** **Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter!** **Please view the message at the end of the chapter! Thank you!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 21**

The still night began to turn restless as Black Fog reached the top floor of Pokémon Tower. The moonlight that had peered through the cracks of the tiled ceiling faded as clouds covered the sky. The rumble of thunder caused him to grin and the flash of lightning illuminated the sinister smirk.

He could feel it, the presence of the humans as they made their way through the tower. Soon, their souls would be a part of him, and he'll have enough strength to break free of the confines of the tower.

As he contemplated his plans for his inevitable freedom, he thought back to what one of the shamans had said. She mentioned one of them had a soul with a power she'd never felt before. He'd been around since ancient times, and the only being he knew with a power that could even rival his own was… his eyes widened. "No, it couldn't be him. Could he really have given his powers to one of them?"

* * *

The group, led by Ayden, made their way up the staircase toward the second level, each one of them on high alert for anything.

Jin walked behind Ayden and kept a laser-eye focus on the surroundings. He had to make up for what happened earlier. Fate gave him another chance, and he wasn't going to mess it up.

Mendy walked behind Jin with Nami tightly clinging to her arm. She took a deep breath. She kept telling herself that things were going to be okay, this wasn't an illusion, and they were all going to get out together. She placed her hand on top of Nami's and gave her a reassuring smile.

Nami gazed at the smile and blushed. That award-winning smile was more than enough to help her get over her nerves. One glance at that smile, and she felt she could take on the whole world.

Sabrina brought up the rear with Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar floating around her. She continued looking at Ayden. She still couldn't understand what it was about this boy. How was it he could defy fate like he did? She had to figure out the source of this power. She knew for certain that it was at least equal, if not greater, than her own.

Ayden focused all of his attention on making it up to the next level. He had to stop Black Fog at all costs. Even though he knew what needed to be done, his body still felt the pain from earlier. He couldn't think about that though. He had to focus on the task at hand.

He took the first step onto the second floor when his legs gave out. He fell on his side and Jin was the first to his aid. Piik hopped off his head and looked at him with worry. After wrenching her arm out of Nami's grip, Mendy joined the two.

Jin propped Ayden up. "Hey, man, you okay? What's wrong?"

Ayden caught his breath and looked up at him. "Yeah, everything's fine. Legs just gave out for a second."

Mendy relaxed her shoulders. "I know we need to stop Black Fog, but maybe we should let you rest a bit longer? I mean, you can't possibly fight in your condition."

Ayden shook his head. "It's okay. We can't waste any more time. We have to stop him now-,"

Mendy looked him straight in the eyes and glared at him. "Ten minutes. At the very least, give yourself ten minutes to recover. We'll stand watch while you rest and we'll take the first fight, okay?"

Ayden turned his attention to Jin and Piik who both gave him worried looks.

Jin nodded. "Yeah, man. You were just hit with a chandelier. Most people don't walk away from that. You should rest for a bit."

He looked over at Nami and she crossed her arms. "Yeah, despite what you may think, we don't need you to take the lead every time. So, go ahead and take your little nap or whatever, we'll handle this Black Fog before you even wake up."

He breathed a sigh and relaxed his shoulders. "Fine, ten minutes."

Mendy smiled as she watched Jin help Ayden lean against the wall. She quickly turned toward the sound of low growling and gasped when she saw one of the shamans walking toward them.

Her eyes were glazed over and she looked over the group slowly. With a wide grin, she pulled out a pokéball and held it up. "Be cursed with me!"

Mendy turned to Sabrina. "Do you think you can snap her out of it like you did with Nurse Joy?"

Sabrina focused her energy and her eyes glowed white. She targeted the shaman, but her powers didn't reach her. She deactivated her powers and shook her head. "It's no good. This isn't like what happened with Joy. Black Fog must be controlling them this time, and my powers aren't strong enough to break his control."

Mendy's eyes widened. "Then, what are we supposed to do?"

Sabrina pulled out a pokéball. "We fight. Go, Kadabra!"

Kadabra emerged and glared at the shaman.

The shaman eyed Kadabra and her smile widened. "Be cursed with me! Be cursed with me! Be cursed with me!"

She opened her pokéball and a Gastly appeared. She pointed at Kadabra. "Gastly, Night Shade!"

Gastly rose up and shot pitch-black beams from its eyes at Kadabra.

Kadabra easily teleported away to safety.

Jin saw Ayden try to get up, but got in front of him and smiled. "Don't worry, man. You just take it easy. We've got this!"

Sabrina glared at the shaman. She didn't have time to waste on them. She had to get to Black Fog as quickly as possible. "Kadabra, use Psychic!"

Kadabra's eyes glowed a light blue and Gastly was hit was a powerful blast, knocking it into the Shaman.

With Gastly defeated, Mendy breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that was quicker than I thought it would be." Her eyes widened as the shaman began to squirm and writhe on the floor.

The group stood in horror as they gazed at the shaman as her eyes turned black and her mouth opened. Her soul was slowly extracted out of her body. When it left her completely, the shaman remained motionless on the floor.

Mendy gasped as she held back tears. This was worse than watching that Team Chaos guy commit suicide on the St. Anne. "My God, why did this happen to her?"

Sabrina crossed her arms. "It would appear Black Fog doesn't have any use for those who fail him. As a result of her losing the battle, he's taken her soul as his own."

Jin turned to her. "Wait, then what about the other shamans? They're waiting to fight us! How're we supposed to get through them without defeating them?"

Sabrina shook her head. "We don't. We're going to have to fight our way through."

As she made her way to the third floor, Mendy got in front of her. "But what'll happen to them? If we defeat them, Black Fog will just take their souls! We can't just let him do that!"

Sabrina used her powers to move Mendy to the side. "It's either them or us, and we can't afford to lose here. Black Fog must be stopped at all cost. If that means sacrificing his pawns, then so be it."

Nami scoffed. "Well, why don't you use that all-powerful ability of yours to see into the future? Surely you've seen the end result of this fight."

Sabrina looked at her, then faced the staircase. "Yes… why don't I?" She climbed the stairs, wondering about her abilities. Since Ayden defied his destiny when she predicted it, how can she trust her abilities now?

Ayden used the wall to balance himself as he stood up. "I wouldn't worry about the shamans. I'm sure we'll find some way to help them. However, for the time being, we need to defeat Black Fog."

Mendy sighed as she knew he had a point. "Okay… let's go."

* * *

Black Fog sensed the entire ordeal from the top floor of the tower, watching them get closer and closer to him. "I see. As long as they have that Esper with them, they'll get through the shamans with ease. In that case, let's make things more interesting."

His eyes glowed red and the other shamans responded by releasing their pokémon.

Black Fog smiled and turned his attention to all of the ghost pokémon. "All of you, go and indulge our guests. Make sure they're all well taken care of."

The ghost pokémon nodded and disappeared.

* * *

Jin watched Ayden take slow steps toward the staircase. "You sure you don't need any help, man?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks."

As they made their way toward the staircase, teams of Gastly and Haunter appeared in front of Jin, Mendy, and Nami. Before any of them could react, the ghosts hit them with Hypnosis and then disappeared with them.

Sabrina ran down the stairs when she realized what happened. "Damn! He took them when I wasn't here to protect them!"

Ayden turned to her. "Quick! You have to teleport to them!"

Sabrina closed her eyes and focused. She opened her eyes and shook her head. "I can't. Black Fog must be blocking me this time. We have to hurry and defeat him."

Ayden grabbed her wrist as she turned toward the stairs. "Not without them!" He turned to Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar. "You guys! Find my friends and help them!"

The three saluted him and disappeared.

* * *

Mendy walked slowly with Haunter and Gastly guiding her through one of the dark rooms of the upper levels of the tower. Her eyes were glazed over in a purplish hue as the hypnosis took full effect.

When they made it to the center of the room, Haunter and Gastly forced her to stop. They watched as a shaman emerged out of the shadows toward her.

She reached over and placed her hand on Mendy's face. "Such a lovely child. It would appear your two friends are too powerful for us to just take their souls, but do not fret, they'll be joining you three soon. Your souls will be used for a much greater purpose. Soon, you shall become one with our great ruler, Black Fog."

Mendy, unable to move or speak, gazed at the shaman as she drew a magic circle on the floor. She didn't like where this was going and tried as hard as she could to move, but her body was frozen.

When the shaman finished the circle, she motioned for Mendy to walk to the center, to which she complied.

She fought with everything she had, but her body wouldn't listen to her. She stood at the center of the circle and was told to lie down on the floor. She saw the shaman pick up a dagger and walk toward her. She couldn't believe it. Was she really going to die like this? She had to do something to get out of this.

The shaman pulled up her shirt to reveal her stomach. She took the dagger and began chanting. Her chants illuminated the circle and Mendy could feel her heart race. When the shaman finished chanting, she tightened her grip on the dagger and lowered it.

Before the dagger reached her stomach, Gengar appeared and knocked the dagger out of her hand. Gengar's eyes glowed red and he undid the hypnosis on Mendy.

Able to move her body again, Mendy sat up and stared at Gengar. "Wait… you're the same Gengar that was with Ayden, right?" Gengar nodded and Mendy smiled while she gave it a hug. "Thank you so much for saving me! I thought I was really going to die! Come on! Let's get out of here! We have to help the others!"

Gengar tried to carry her out of the room, but was repelled and they fell to the floor.

Mendy blinked in confusion. "Wait, what's going on?"

They tried several times to leave, but nothing worked. They stopped when they heard the shaman chuckle and then burst into laughter.

She glared at them both with a malicious grin. "You will not be able to leave this space. We're trapped in here until one of us offers their soul to the great ruler."

Mendy's eyes widened. It was just like Sabrina's battle earlier, but she couldn't fight her with their souls on the line. "Please, stop this right now! We don't have to fight! Just let us go and we can try to save you all!"

The shaman laughed. "Save? Don't go thinking you can save anyone, little girl. Your soul will become one with our great ruler."

Mendy furrowed her brow. She didn't have any choice in the matter. If she wanted to help Jin and Nami, then she had to battle her. She picked one of her pokéballs and held it up. "Fine! If that's the way you want it, then let's battle! Go, Showers!"

Showers emerged and growled at the shaman.

The shaman chuckled and pointed at Showers. "Haunter, Night Shade!"

Her Haunter charged at Showers and fired black beams from its eyes, but Showers dodged them easily with a backflip.

"Showers, Water Pulse!"

Showers created a large swirling ball of water and fired it at Haunter. Haunter disappeared and reappeared at a safe distance.

Mendy clicked her tongue. This wasn't going anywhere. She had to finish this as soon as possible. She only hoped Jin and Nami were doing okay.

* * *

Jin followed the Gastly and Haunter into a dark room coupled with a staircase leading to a platform. He tried as hard as he could to regain control over his body, but he couldn't break free of the hypnosis.

The shaman approached him and placed her hands on each of his cheeks. She smiled. "Why yes, you are a wonderful-looking sacrifice. Your soul will be offered to our great ruler, but don't worry, your friends will join you soon. You'll all be together as you become one with him. Now, go onto the platform."

Jin turned and went up the small flight of stairs. Sacrifice? He didn't want to be a sacrifice. He wanted to help his friends put an end to Black Fog. He didn't have time for this.

He reached the platform and he instantly knew what was going to happen. At the end of the platform hung a rope in the shape of a noose. He had to break free of the hypnosis. If only he could reach one of his pokémon.

The shaman giggled. "Now, put the noose around your neck and tighten it."

Jin complied and the shaman could barely keep a straight face. He watched as the shaman drew a circle on the floor and started chanting. Her chanting caused the circle to illuminate and Jin was liking this less and less.

When she finished her preparations, she turned her attention back to Jin. "Now, walk off the platform and become one with our great ruler!"

He walked slowly to the edge of the platform and he wanted with everything he had to stop himself, but it was too late. He took the step off the platform and fell.

Before the rope went taut, Haunter appeared and fired a Night Shade attack on it, snapping it.

Jin fell to the floor and Haunter immediately removed the effects of the hypnosis. Jin jumped onto his feet when he finally had control over his body, and hastily took the noose off. He took in several quick breaths as he calmed down. He turned to Haunter and smiled. "Thanks, Haunter. You really saved my neck there. Literally. I thought I was a goner for sure this time. Do you know what happened to Mendy and Nami?" Haunter shook its head. "Okay, then let's go and find them. We need to get everyone together so we can defeat Black Fog!"

As he turned to leave, the shaman started laughing. He turned to the shaman and shivered when he saw her grin. "W-what's so funny?"

The shaman snickered. "You think you can defeat our great ruler? You are merely delaying the inevitable. He will be the one true ruler of this world. You all will offer your souls to him."

Jin reached for a pokéball. "Oh yeah? Well, think again, lady. My soul is staying right where it is! Go, Vulpix!"

Vulpix emerged and stared at the shaman.

The shaman stared back. "The only way to leave here is to offer a soul to our great ruler! Your soul will be the offering. Haunter, Hypnosis!"

Haunter's eyes glowed a purplish hue as it stared at Vulpix.

Jin clenched his fists. "Don't stare at it, Vulpix! Use Disable!"

A blue aura enveloped Vulpix's body and Haunter's body soon had the same aura surrounding it. When the aura disappeared, Haunter found it couldn't launch its Hypnosis attack anymore.

Jin smiled. "Ah yeah! That's showing 'em! Not only did we block your Hypnosis, we also stopped your Dream Eater move, which I'm sure you were wanting to use next!"

The shaman furrowed her brow. "Not bad, boy. Haunter, Shadow Punch!"

Haunter wound up and launched a punch at Vulpix.

"Vulpix, dodge with Agility!" Vulpix complied and evaded the barrage of punches. "All right, Vulpix, let's fight back with Ember!"

Vulpix jumped into the air and fired a small ball of fire at Haunter. Haunter easily dodged it and used one of its hands to pin Vulpix to the wall.

"Haunter, use Curse!"

Haunter used its free hand to materialize a knife out of shadows. It held the knife up to the base of its face and sliced itself. Black vapor emerged out of the wound and enveloped Vulpix. Haunter released Vulpix and she hit the floor. She tried to walk, but stumbled.

Jin's eyes widened. "Wait, what just happened?"

The shaman laughed. "Haunter placed a curse on Vulpix. Now, Vulpix's health will slowly drain away until it dies!"

Jin looked up at her. "Wait, you mean faint, right?"

The shaman laughed harder. "Not in this battle. We're fighting under our great ruler's conditions. He will take your Vulpix's soul and then he'll take yours. Prepare to become one with our great ruler!"

Jin lowered his shoulders as she laughed. "This… isn't looking good."

* * *

Nami was led by Gastly and Haunter to the center of another dark room. She wanted to scream and run, but her body wasn't listening to anything she wanted it to do.

The shaman approached her and looked her over thoroughly. When her examination was complete, she smiled. "Ah, you'll do quite nicely, but you seem tense. Here, let me show you something to put your mind at ease."

She snapped her fingers and a light illuminated at the far end of the room, revealing Mendy and Jin. Both were blindfolded and had their arms bound behind them.

Nami wondered what was going on. Why were they there?

As if reading her mind, the shaman walked toward them. "You see, we took each of you and decided to have a spectacle with you three. You're going to be treated to the execution of your dear friends. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Nami tried to move, but still couldn't get her body out of the hypnosis.

Mendy lifted her head and looked around. "Nami? Nami, are you there? Please help us! We need you! Nami!"

Jin followed her lead. "Nami, please help! Don't let them kill us, Nami! Let us know you're there! Answer us!"

Nami did everything she could, but her body still wouldn't move. She had to do something. She had to save them.

The shaman walked up to Jin and readied her knife. "I believe I'll start with you, young man."

Jin struggled against his bonds. "Nami! Help! Please! Don't let her kill us! Do something! Anything! Nami! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to-,"

Nami watched as the shaman sliced his throat. Blood poured out of Jin's neck and he fell over onto the floor.

The shaman smiled and walked over to Mendy. "Okay, sweetie, you're next."

Mendy struggled as her head was being held up. "Nami! Why? Why didn't you help him? Why did you let him die! Why aren't you answering? Nami!"

Tears fell from Nami's eyes as the shaman sliced Mendy's throat. It was over. Everything she held dear was taken away from her. She had nothing left. Nothing else mattered.

The shaman walked up to her and held her chin. "I see. You're most saddened by the loss of the girl, huh? You must feel just terrible being unable to do anything to help her. Well, let me put your mind and your soul at ease. You'll be joining them very soon. Wouldn't you like that? To be with them again? To be with her again?" The shaman gave her enough movement to reply. Nami took the time to reply with a nod. "That's a good girl. Don't worry, your souls will be offered to our great ruler and you'll be together for all eternity."

She got onto the floor and drew a magic circle, and then ordered Nami to lie down in the center. When Nami was in position, she began her chant. Her chanting caused the circle to illuminate and soon everything was ready.

She hovered over Nami and smiled. "This will only hurt for a moment, my dear, but then you'll be with your friend again."

She pulled up her hoodie and shirt to reveal her stomach, gripped her knife, and then lowered it onto her.

Before the knife touched her stomach, Gastly appeared and knocked her away with a Sucker Punch. The shaman flew to the other end of the room and Gastly undid the hypnosis on Nami.

Nami blinked in confusion when the effects wore off. She jumped up when she had control over her body and immediately looked at Gastly. The moment she saw it, she screamed and demanded it get away from her.

Gastly hovered over her and tried to get her to calm down, but she wouldn't listen.

She shivered as it approached her. "Get away from me! Don't come near me! I mean it! Don't think you'll trick me like-,"

She paused when Gastly directed her attention to the bodies of Mendy and Jin. Nami's eyes widened when they both disappeared. It was all an illusion. Mendy and Jin weren't really there. Gastly only wanted to help her. She turned back to Gastly. "T-thank you. Can we please get out of here?"

Gastly nodded and helped her up. When they tried to leave, the quickly found they couldn't.

Nami banged on the wall. "What the hell is this? Where's the exit? How do we get out of here?" She turned to the shaman as she started laughing. "What are you laughing about?"

The shaman smiled. "You're not going anywhere. No one is allowed to leave this area, unless a soul is offered to our great ruler. The only way to get out, is to win."

Nami furrowed her brow. If the only way out was through a battle, then so be it. She had enough of all this. "Fine, if a fight's what you want, then it's a fight you'll get! Go, Staryu!"

Staryu emerged and landed in front of Nami.

The shaman smiled. "You will not win. Haunter, Night Shade!"

Haunter launched the attack, but Staryu evaded effortlessly.

"Staryu, Water Gun!"

Staryu jumped up and fired a stream of water at Haunter, but Haunter became invisible to dodge it.

Nami clicked her tongue. "This is why I hate battling against ghost pokémon! They don't play fair! You can't just go invisible and let attacks go through you! That's cheating!"

The shaman chuckled. "You will lose and your soul will become part of our great ruler. Stop resisting."

Nami clenched her fists. She didn't have time for this. She had to hurry and get back to the others and get out of this stupid tower.

* * *

Piik watched as Ayden leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. He'd sent Gastly, Haunter and Gengar out a while ago and they haven't come back yet. He was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

Sabrina stood at the base of the staircase with her arms crossed. "It may not do you any good to wait around for them. We should go ahead and fight Black Fog ourselves."

Ayden looked up at her. "No, we have to wait for the others. I know they'll be back."

Sabrina sighed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not trying or want to abandon your friends, but the two of us are our only chance of defeating Black Fog. The others don't have the kind of power it takes to fight him."

Ayden furrowed his brow. What did she mean by "power"? Could she be referring to the power that Team Chaos is after?

Sabrina walked up to him. "You may not even know it yourself, but you possess a great power within. A power I'm sure might even be greater than that of my own."

Ayden pushed off the wall and looked up at her. "What do you mean 'greater than your own'?"

Sabrina nodded. "As I suspected, you're not fully aware of the power you possess. When we first met, I had a premonition of your death." Ayden's eyes widened. "I saw you dying by the same chandelier you were just hit by. From there, your friends carried you from the tower and back to the Center, mourning over you. I've developed my psychic powers ever since I was a little girl. My visions have never been wrong, until today when you came back. I don't know how, but you were able to alter your fate and come back. The only explanation I can think of is that whatever power you possess is in fact greater than that of my own."

Ayden trembled. So, this was the extent of the power Team Chaos wanted. Whatever's inside of him, they wanted to harness its powers. If the power inside him is as great as Sabrina claims, then it was all the more reason for him to keep Team Chaos from succeeding.

Sabrina placed her hands on his shoulders. "Ayden, the two of us are the only ones with powers that can stop Black Fog. Once he's defeated, we'll go and help your friends. We have to get going."

Ayden lowered his shoulders and shook his head. "No, I'm not going to leave them behind. As ragtag as we may seem to be, we're a team. It's just as Mendy said, 'we got here together and we're leaving together'. My friends are a lot tougher than you think they are. They'll be back shortly and they'll help us defeat Black Fog. Besides, the more of us there are, the higher the chances of our victory."

Piik climbed up Ayden's leg onto his shoulder and pumped her fists into the air. Ayden was right. No matter how many times she wished she could fire an electric attack at one of the girls for all the nasty things they said about him, she couldn't deny they were one tough group.

Sabrina lowered her shoulders. "I see. You seem to have your mind made up about this. Very well. We shall wait on your friends."

Ayden nodded. "Thank you. I wouldn't worry though. I'm sure they're wrapping things up right now."

* * *

Showers ran around the room, dodging every attack Haunter threw at her. With all the attacks coming at her, she didn't have any room to launch one of her own.

Mendy clicked her tongue. "There has to be some opening. Showers won't be able to keep this up forever." She scanned the area and a thought came to her. "Well, it's worth a try at least. Showers, use Sand Attack!"

Showers scrapped the floor with every step she took and launched some sand toward Haunter.

Haunter vanished and reappeared at a different spot in the room in order to evade the attack.

The shaman shook her head. "The result will be the same, no matter how many times you attempt it. Haunter, Shadow Ball!"

Haunter held its hands close together and formed a ball of black swirling energy at Showers. When the ball was ready, it fired the attack.

Mendy grinned. "Showers, use Water Pulse!"

Showers formed the swirling ball of water and launched it at Haunter. The Shadow Ball and Water Pulse collided and the friction between the two attacks resulted in an explosion that blanketed the entire area with smoke.

The shaman and Haunter looked around frantically for their opponent, but couldn't find them through all the smoke. The shaman clicked her tongue in irritation. "Haunter! Keep your eyes peeled for that Vaporeon!"

Haunter nodded and continued its search. Its eyes widened when it felt Vaporeon emerge out of the smoke behind it.

Before it could counter, Mendy made her move. "Showers, use Bite!"

Showers' fangs were sharpened by a black aura and she bit down on Haunters' hand. The attack knocked Haunter to the floor and Showers jumped back a safe distance.

The shaman gritted her teeth. "Haunter! Get up and use Shadow Ball!" Haunter tried to get up, but its body froze and it flopped back onto the floor. The shaman's eyes widened. "It can't be…,"

Mendy smiled. Yes. Showers got it to flinch. "Sorry, but I'll have to put an end to this! I promise you; we'll find a way to save you and the others! Showers, Aurora Beam!"

Showers jumped up into the air and launched a rainbow-colored beam at Haunter knocking it out.

When Haunter couldn't get back up, the shaman clenched her chest and fell to her knees. She soon screamed in agony as her soul slowly left her body.

Mendy covered her mouth as she gasped. The sight of her in pain was more than she could handle. Finally, the shaman fell over and lay on the floor motionless.

Mendy breathed heavily as she was glad it was all over. She walked up to Showers and petted her. "Great work, Showers! You were absolutely amazing!"

Showers smiled and tackled her in the head. Mendy fell backward and laughed.

The darkness in the room soon dispersed and Mendy found she was in one of the rooms of the tower. Now that she could leave, she had to find the others and regroup. She got up, returned Showers to her ball, and turned to Gengar. "Gengar, can you show me where the others are?"

Gengar nodded and led her out of the room.

* * *

Jin racked his brain trying to come up with a counter to his opponent. No matter what he tried to do, his opponent was just going to dodge each of his attacks, while the Curse was slowly draining away Vulpix's health. He had to do something and fast.

Jin clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Vulpix, Incinerate!"

Vulpix wound up and fired at Haunter, but like before, Haunter simply evaded the attack. Vulpix took another hit from the curse and fell on her side in exhaustion.

Jin's eyes widened. This couldn't be happening. Vulpix was down to her last bit of energy and if he didn't do something soon, she'd be knocked out and his soul would be taken. He had to think of something, but what?

He closed his eyes and thought about what Ayden would do in this situation. At that, he started chuckling to himself. What was he thinking? He couldn't measure up to Ayden's tactical abilities. He probably couldn't even overcome Sabrina and her ESP.

Suddenly, his eyes widened with hope. There it was. That was the answer. He had to try it. It was the only move they had left to save both their skins.

He looked at Vulpix as she tried to get back on her feet. "Come on, Vulpix! You can do it! This match isn't over yet! We can still win this!"

Vulpix, trusting in his words, nodded and managed to get back on her feet.

The shaman shook her head and giggled. "I'm afraid you'll not be able to win this. Your Vulpix can only take one more hit from the Curse; two if it's lucky, and regardless what move you launch, we'll just dodge it."

Jin smiled. "I wonder about that. Vulpix, use Extrasensory! Launch it throughout this entire area!"

Vulpix's eyes glowed pink and her body emitted a wave of energy none of them could see, but Haunter soon felt its power as it was knocked to the back wall.

The shaman looked on in shock. How did they do that? They couldn't even see the attack, where was it coming from?

She looked back at Vulpix as the Curse hit her again. Vulpix still wasn't out even after all that. Whatever move they used before; she couldn't risk them getting hit by it again. That Vulpix already had one paw in the grave and wouldn't be able to survive another attack. She had to go for it. She couldn't afford to pass up this chance.

She pointed at Vulpix as it staggered to stay up. "Haunter! Let's end this battle right now and offer their souls to our great ruler! Night Shade!"

Haunter got up and launched the attack on Vulpix.

Jin tightened his fists. He wasn't really expecting them to launch an attack. "Vulpix, dodge!"

Vulpix tried to move, but her body was too damaged to get her muscles working.

Jin lowered his shoulders in disbelief. They were going to lose. They were going to lose and their souls would be taken. How could things end like this?

As the attack approached Vulpix, her leg gave out and she fell to her side. Using the momentum from the drop, Vulpix rolled and evaded the oncoming move.

The shaman's eyes widened in horror. "No! It can't be!"

Jin replayed that action three times in his head and couldn't believe Vulpix managed to pull through. This was it. They had a chance. "Vulpix, Extrasensory!"

Vulpix launched the same attack again. Haunter tried to disappear, but the attack struck it into the back wall again, knocking it out. When Haunter fainted, the curse on Vulpix stopped.

Jin went up and gathered her in his arms. He smiled as she looked up at him. "Way to go, Vulpix! You're one tough trooper! I knew you could do it!"

Vulpix smiled and cuddled up against Jin's chest.

The shaman looked at her fainted pokémon and trembled in fear. He actually managed to pull off a win, but her strategy was foolproof. There's no way she made any mistakes.

Suddenly, her whole body was struck with an excruciating pain. She gripped her head and cried out as her body fell to the floor. Her soul slowly left her body and she lay on the floor motionless.

When the room fell quiet, the darkness disappeared and Jin fell to the floor. He was glad that was over, but he couldn't rest now. He had to rejoin Ayden and the others. The bigger showdown was about to start.

He recalled Vulpix and turned to Haunter. "Hey, Haunter, you know this tower inside and out, right? Can you lead me back to where Ayden and the others are?"

Haunter nodded and led him out of the room. Before Jin left, he looked over at the body of the shaman. "Don't worry. When this is over, we'll find a way to help you guys."

With that, he took off and left the room.

* * *

Nami's Staryu and the shaman's Haunter traded one attack after the other with each exchange resulting in a draw.

Nami took deep breaths. She couldn't believe it. This shaman was actually pretty good. If her soul wasn't on the line, she might actually enjoy this. She clenched her fists. She had to find some way to get through this Haunter. How could it counter all of her attacks?

The shaman chuckled. "I see you're the type that likes to power her way through her problems. You let your muscles do all the talking, am I right?"

Nami furrowed her brow. "What of it? Just what are you trying to say?"

The shaman smiled. "I'm saying you are lacking in the intellect department. You can't come up with any strategies to help you win a battle, so you rely on your brute strength to get through."

Nami was getting madder. She wanted nothing more than to shut her up. "Staryu, Water Gun!"

The shaman shook her head. "Haunter, Night Shade!"

The attacks collided and canceled each other out. Nami balled her hands into fists. This wasn't getting them anywhere. All she did was counter her attacks. Why couldn't they break through and end this battle?

The shaman looked at Nami and placed her hand on her hip. "You really don't have a mind for strategy, don't you? Just a meathead, huh?"

Nami's face reddened. "What did you say?"

The shaman shrugged. "You're simply one that cannot come up with clever strategies to help win battles. You rely on trying to overpower your opponent, and keep attempting to attack them while expecting it to eventually work. One would call that being an idiot."

Nami's temper flew off the charts. "Who're you calling an idiot? I'm gonna flatten you and your stupid ghost right now! Staryu, Rapid Spin!"

Staryu jumped and moved through the air like a sawblade. Haunter merely stood still as Staryu went through it.

Nami's eyes widened. "What the hell? Why didn't it work?"

The shaman laughed. "You don't think straight when you let your anger control you, do you? Normal-type moves don't work on ghost pokémon. I've concluded you to be dumb, but I didn't expect your intellect to be this low."

Nami tried to hold her anger in and calm down, but this shaman knew exactly what to say to get under her skin. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She had to calm down. She just had to concentrate.

As much as she tried to clear her mind, all she kept thinking about was her father telling her what the shaman said. She remembered when she was younger, she fought in a martial arts tournament. In the final match, even though she beat her opponent with a series of overwhelming strikes, her father wasn't as pleased as she'd hoped.

She gazed up at her father while holding her trophy. He had his arms crossed and looked down on her. "You charge in recklessly without first sizing up your opponent. You can't power your way through everything."

Nami opened her eyes and stared at the shaman. If she was going to counter all her attacks, she had to find some way to overcome that. But what? She glanced at Staryu and tried to think. What were Staryu's other non-damage dealing attacks?

The shaman tilted her head as she stared at Nami. Was she actually trying to think of a plan? If so, she was way too late in the game for it. "If you're not going to attack, I will. Haunter, Shadow Ball!"

Haunter formed the black ball of energy and fired it at Staryu.

When the attack launched, Nami opened her eyes. "Staryu, use Minimize!"

Staryu's body glowed with a white aura, then it shrunk to a tenth of its size. Haunter's attack missed Staryu completely, and Staryu popped back to its original size.

The shaman grinned. "Seems you're starting to think about strategy. So, let's see how you handle this. Haunter, use Hypnosis!"

Haunter's eyes glowed with a purple hue and it fired a hypnotic beam at Staryu.

Nami clenched her fists. "Staryu! Use Rapid Spin to dodge!"

Staryu jumped into the air and spun around the area, evading the oncoming attack.

The shaman watched as Staryu flew around the room. She couldn't attack it unless it stood still.

Nami nodded. "Okay, things are looking good. Just gotta keep it up. What's next? Uh… oh yeah, this could work. Staryu, use Bubblebeam while you're spinning!"

The shaman stood in awe as Staryu launched an array of bubbles, covering the entire area. There were so many of them, she couldn't see Haunter anymore. "Haunter, blow the bubbles away with Night Shade!"

Haunter fired the black beams from its eyes to get rid of the bubbles. When it got rid of one section, Staryu was there waiting for it.

Nami grinned. It was time. "Staryu, use Water Gun!" Staryu fired a stream of water at Haunter that knocked it across the room. When it staggered to get up, Nami knew this was the perfect chance to finally ending the match. "Staryu, use Psywa-,"

She paused as a memory flashed in her mind. She remembered standing with her father and the rest of the trainers from the gym as they looked onward at Sabrina, and her newly established gym. The hatred and contempt she and her gym family had toward Sabrina still burned inside her. She grew to resent not only her, but anything associated with psychic-type pokémon.

She clenched her fists in irritation. "Staryu, use Brine!"

Staryu fired the attack on the struggling Haunter, and watched as it fell to the ground unconscious.

The shaman couldn't believe it. She was beaten by this girl.

Nami ran up to Staryu and gave it a hug. "Way to go, Staryu! You rocked!" She recalled it, walked up to the shaman, and pulled her up by her robes. "Okay, you! How the hell do I get out of here?"

The shaman looked at her and smiled. "You may have won, but our great ruler will get your souls eventually. You've simply delayed the inevitable. I'll see you on the other side shortly."

With that, she gripped her head as she felt excruciating pain. She fell to her side and screamed in agony as her soul was pulled from her body. She soon lay on the floor unconscious and Nami sat down on the floor catching her breath.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She jumped up and screamed as Gastly flew toward her. After the initial shock, she realized it only came by to check on her. She wouldn't be alive if it weren't for it. Despite all that, she still couldn't stand ghost-type pokémon.

She slowly backed away from it. "Uh… th-thanks for all the help, G-Gastly. Really appreciate it." Gastly smiled and flew toward her, but she backed away just as fast, and kept it at arm's length. "Okay, no need to get any closer. I've said 'thank you', so you can stop it now." Gastly got closer and tears formed in her eyes. "Please don't come near me! Get away from me!"

Gastly lowered its head and cried. All it wanted was to show her how happy it was that she thanked it. It didn't mean any harm.

Nami rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't go crying on me, okay? Just tell me how to get out of this place!"

As she said that, the darkness in the room dissipated and she found she was in one of the rooms of the tower.

She breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. "Okay, finally, can you get me back to the others? I'd really like to get out of here."

Gastly nodded and flew out of the room with Nami close by.

* * *

Black Fog gazed at the situation with an angry expression. Even under his control, the shamans couldn't defeat these people. No matter. He made due with their souls instead. He'd grown exponentially thanks to them. Even if they all attacked him at once, despite having an Esper with them, he was already too powerful for them anyway. Their souls would be his soon enough.

* * *

Ayden and Sabrina continued to wait for the others.

Sabrina leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, and then she perked up. "Ayden, I can sense your friends again. They've defeated the shamans."

Ayden looked at her. "That's great. Can you teleport us to them?"

Sabrina nodded. "Yes, of course."

She took his hand and they teleported out of the room.

* * *

Jin ran down the hallways with Haunter leading the way. He just had to reunite with the others and head for Black Fog. He turned a corner toward a staircase when Sabrina and Ayden appeared before him.

Their sudden appearance spooked him and he lost his footing. Ayden managed to grab his hand just as he was about to fall down the stairs. Haunter assisted in getting Jin back on his feet.

Jin breathed a sigh of relief as he regained his balance. "Thanks, you guys, that was a close one."

Ayden placed his hand on his shoulder. "You doing okay?"

Jin looked at him and he nodded. "Yeah, man. Just a couple attempts on my life with the threat of my soul being sucked out of my body. Nothing to sweat over. Have Mendy and Nami come back yet?"

Sabrina shook her head. "As soon as I sensed you, I teleported us to your location. We're going to retrieve your other friends now."

Jin nodded. "Okay, let's go."

With that, the three of them held hands and teleported.

* * *

Mendy followed Gengar through the hallways of the tower, hoping the others were doing okay. She turned a corner and collided with Nami.

Nami rubbed her head. "Ow! Who the-, Mendy?"

Mendy opened her eyes. "Nami?"

They hugged and cried as they talked over each other about their respective fight against the shamans.

Mendy looked at her. "Where's Jin? Have you seen him?"

Nami shook her head. "No, I just got through my fight."

Mendy stood up. "Okay, let's go find him and get back to Ayden and Sabrina."

Before they continued their search, Ayden, Jin, and Sabrina appeared before them, surprising both girls.

Jin waved to them both. "Were you guys looking for us?"

Nami turned red with irritation. "Hey! Don't go popping up in front of people like that! That's really annoying!"

Jin smiled. "Oh, don't feel bad. Same thing happened to me. Well, looks like we've got the whole gang back together. Shall we finish up this thing?"

With a unanimous nod. The group proceeded up the stairs.

* * *

The group reached the top floor of the tower and stared at the double doors in front of them. Black Fog was waiting for them on the other side and they knew they were in for the biggest fight of their lives.

Jin inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled. "Well, guys, this is it. Just want you guys to know, whatever happens in there, I'm glad I was able to meet you all."

Nami scoffed. "Don't get all mushy on us now. Nothing's gonna happen to us, cause we're gonna kick this Black Fog's ass and finally get out of this stupid tower."

Sabrina stepped up to the doors. "I appreciate you all for coming and helping me on this mission. However, none of you are to kill him. I'll be the one to end his life."

Nami turned to her. "And why should we pander to you?"

Sabrina balled her hands. "Because I'm fighting for the sake of a dear friend of mine who was killed by Black Fog. Ever since that day, I've been training and honing my psychic abilities so that I would one day get my revenge and kill Black Fog with my own hands. Today is that day. Regardless of how powerful he's gotten; I will kill him today."

Mendy's eyes widened as she was reminded of Raye and her quest for power. She watched Sabrina open the doors and they all stepped inside.

The room was darker and colder than any of the other rooms in the tower. When they all had stepped inside, the door behind them slammed shut.

Nami reached and grabbed Mendy by the arm. She could barely keep herself together. This wasn't just like the illusions or the shamans, they were dealing with a real ghost this time. She leaned in and spoke in a whisper. "Mendy, you don't mind if I just hold your arm for a moment, do you? I'm just really freaking out here!"

"I guess I don't really mind, but I'm gonna need that arm in a bit, you know."

Nami's eyes widened when she realized the person talking to her was Jin. She quickly released his arm and straightened up. She whispered again. "You heard… nothing."

Torches ignited throughout the room and the group could see at the far end was a large black apparition. His eyes were crimson and he wore a wide sinister grin.

He chuckled as he gazed at the group. "Welcome, mortals. I'm impressed you managed to get all the way up here. To think my shamans were bested by you all."

Mendy stepped forward. "Release the souls of all the people you have right now!"

Black Fog laughed. "You are in no position to be telling me what to do, little girl. You have no idea the powers I possess."

Jin smirked. "Well, those powers must be pretty limited since you can't even leave the tower! Oh! Who's got Burn Heal on 'em?"

Sabrina walked toward him. "Black Fog… do you remember me?"

Black Fog looked at her and squinted his eyes. "I've no recollection of you. I don't make it a point to remember insignificant ants."

"My name is Sabrina, and I've come to get my revenge for when you killed a good friend of mine. I've been waiting for years to get my revenge and tonight is when it'll all end! Kadabra, go!"

Kadabra emerged and Black Fog laughed. "I can sense your powers are impressive, but they pale in comparison to the powers of a god!"

Ayden crossed his arms. "You're no god."

Black Fog turned to him. "What did you say?"

Ayden looked up at him. "You're not a god. You like to think you are since that's how you were treated centuries ago. However, something tells me you're not of the divine sort. How about you reveal your true form, Black Fog?"

Jin turned to Ayden then back at Black Fog. "Wait, you're saying this isn't his true form? Then what is it?"

Black Fog glared at Ayden. How could he have known this isn't his actual appearance? He suddenly remembered what the shaman said before. "I see. You are it after all. The one bestowed with the mysterious powers. However, I can tell you've not mastered them yet."

Black Fog emerged out of the black cloud and the group gazed upon the largest Haunter they've ever seen.

Jin stood mesmerized by it. "Oh, my Arceus, that's a Haunter? Haunter aren't supposed to get that big!"

Sabrina furrowed her brow. "So, this is your true form. A Haunter. In that case, defeating you will be easier than I'd hoped."

Black Fog laughed. "I assure you, I'm not a mere Haunter. My powers are far beyond that of any pokémon you've ever encountered. I've been worshipped as a god since ancient times! Now, I shall continue my reign over you humans, but I still need more souls! So, I shall take great pleasure in eliminating you all and taking your souls for my own!"

The group braced itself as Black Fog summoned a powerful wave of energy.

Sabrina activated her powers and connected with Kadabra. "Kadabra, use Psychic!"

Kadabra's eyes glowed red, and together, they sent a wave back at Black Fog.

Ayden watched as Sabrina and Kadabra tried to push Black Fog's attack back. He turned to the others. "They're not gonna be able to win like this! We have to help! Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged up and launched her attack at Black Fog.

Jin nodded and took a pokéball off his belt. "Go, Vulpix! Use Extrasensory!"

Vulpix appeared and launched her attack with Piik. Soon, they were joined by Showers, Staryu, Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar who launched their attacks as well.

Despite all of them attacking at once, Black Fog still pushed them back. Jin clenched his teeth and balled his hands. "Come on! We can do this! Push back!"

Mendy nodded. "He's right! Don't give in! Keep it up!"

Ayden furrowed his brow. He knew at the rate they were going; Black Fog was going to win. There had to be something they could do in order to tip the battle into their favor.

Black Fog widened his smile. "Pathetic humans! You think you can overcome the powers of a god? You're nothing but mere bugs in my presence! Nothing you do can save you now! Your souls are mine!"

Black Fog applied more pressure and knocked away the entire group, leaving most of them unconscious.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar trembled together in a group as they watched Black Fog. They knew this was going to happen. Black Fog was too powerful for any of them.

Black Fog laughed at his work. "That was easier than I had thought it'd be. Those useless shamans made this group into a bigger deal than they really were."

He turned his attention to Piik as she staggered to get up. She somehow managed to survive that attack. She looked over and saw Ayden unconscious. How could she let this happen again? Why couldn't she protect him?

Black Fog advanced forward and drew her attention. "What's this? It would appear that human protected you. Lot of good that did. Now, your demise will be more excruciating than you can imagine."

Piik furrowed her brow and bared her fangs. If he thought he was going to harm Ayden and get away with it, he had another thing coming. She charged her cheeks and fired an attack at Black Fog.

Black Fog held his hand up and deflected the attack. Piik's eyes widened in shock. She just had to keep trying and hit him with more power. She charged her attack and fired again, and again, and again; only for each time to be deflected. When she tried to charge up, she fell to her side in exhaustion. She took in deep breaths as she realized she couldn't win.

Black Fog laughed. "I see you've finally realized. Now, it's time to collect your souls, so I can leave this tower and reclaim my status as a god." He turned toward Ayden. "Starting with him."

Piik watched in horror as he reached for Ayden. She had to protect him. She had to do something, but her body was too spent. She couldn't get up. As Black Fog neared Ayden, tears filled her eyes and she called out to him.

As Black Fog closed in on Ayden, he cried out as he was repelled. He looked at his hand and found it had been burned. "What? What is this? What is going on?"

"Even after all these centuries, you haven't changed, Black Fog."

Black Fog's eyes widened as Ayden stood back up. An aura surrounded his body and Piik stared in awe. It was the same aura she felt back in Viridian Forest. It was calm, powerful, and made her feel she could complete the impossible.

Black Fog focused his gaze on Ayden. The aura he emitted was nostalgic and haunting. He hadn't felt this power in ages. He gasped as Ayden opened his eyes. His eyes had changed to an icy blue in the left and a fiery gold in the right. "No, it's impossible! How can you possibly be here?"

Ayden looked up at Black Fog. "I cannot overlook you trying to take the life of this boy or any other innocent people."

Black Fog clenched his fists. "Damn, you! Even after all these centuries, you still find some way to interfere in my plans! Even going so far as speaking through this human! You will regret meddling in my affairs!"

Ayden scoffed. "After all these centuries, my only regret is that I held back on you the last time we fought. I chose to spare you and seal you away instead of killing you. I had hoped being trapped for that long, you'd come to understand you're not an all-powerful god, and that humbleness would let you understand and appreciate life. Now I can see that was a mistake. There is no redemption for you, Black Fog. You seek only power for yourself, and it's that mindset I cannot allow to go on any further."

Black Fog's anger rose. "You think I'll just let you do as you please? You think you have the power to stop me? I sense you only possess half your full power! Not to mention, you're inhabiting the body of a mortal boy! You can't hope to defeat me in your current state!"

Ayden looked at his hands. "Yes, it is true this body only contains half of my full being, but with the help of his pokémon, it'll be more than enough to take you down for good this time."

Black Fog roared. "I will not be defeated by you this time! I'll prove to you I'm the superior being! You will surrender your soul to me!"

He produced and fired an enormous Shadow Ball toward Ayden. The aura surrounding Ayden's body increased, and allowed him to catch the attack.

Black Fog laughed as he watched him struggle to keep the attack from getting to the others. "You see? You don't have the strength to combat me! Not without your other half! You're weak! I'll take your soul and be the true god of this world!"

Ayden strained and compressed the Shadow Ball with his hands, condensing the attack into a small ball before clapping his hands together, destroying it. He looked up at Black Fog. "I told you. You will not do as you please anymore. I will destroy you for good this time, Black Fog." He turned to Piik. "I know you wish to protect this boy, as do I. Will you lend me your strength in this fight?"

Piik, mesmerized by the aura, nodded.

Ayden nodded. "All right, then you must unleash the power within you."

Piik perked up in shock. Did he mean the power from Zekrom? She couldn't unleash that power. She wouldn't be able to control it. She'd be putting everyone here in danger.

Ayden smiled. "Do not worry. I will help you wield that power."

The branding on Ayden's back glowed and Piik felt the aura channel its way from Ayden into her. She was soon hit with a rush of power. The moment she felt it, her body relaxed and her mind cleared. Her eyes changed to the same combination as Ayden's and white volts sparked from her cheeks. This wasn't like before. She could tap into Zekrom's power without going berserk.

Ayden stared up at Black Fog. "Okay, Black Fog, let's end this. Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and launched the attack. Black Fog blocked, but the power pushed him backward. He grunted and strained as the power had increased tremendously from before.

When the attack subsided, he launched a Night Shade. Piik zipped around the room, dodging the black beams. Black Fog tried firing at Ayden, but he simply raised his hand and deflected the attack.

Piik came around from behind and hit Black Fog with an Iron Tail, knocking him forward.

Black Fog, in frustration, swiped at Piik who disappeared and reappeared at the other end of the room.

Piik couldn't believe it. She was actually controlling Zekrom's power. She could protect Ayden with it. She could win.

She zipped around the room and again, firing off one electric attack after the other, much to Black Fog's annoyance.

She was too fast for him to keep up, and her powers had grown exponentially. He had to do something. He rose up and gathered all his energy. He was going to end this now. He cupped his hands together and launched a Dark Pulse at Ayden and Piik.

Ayden turned to Piik. "Piik, use Bolt Strike!"

Piik surrounded herself with a large amount of electricity and then launched herself at the Dark Pulse. The force of their attacks shook the entire tower.

Black Fog strained and grunted as Piik pushed him back farther. "I… will not… lose… to you again!"

Piik pushed back with everything she had. She wasn't going to let Black Fog hurt Ayden or anyone else again.

Ayden clapped his hands together and focused his energy on Piik. "Black Fog! This is where it ends! Piik, Fusion Bolt!"

On top of fighting against Black Fog's Dark Pulse, Piik channeled her energy and formed a large blue ball of electricity over Black Fog. When the attack was large enough, she dropped it down on him.

Black Fog cried in pain as the electricity surged through him. He lost control of the Dark Pulse, and Piik was able to push through. With nothing in her way, Piik zipped through Black Fog's body with Bolt Strike. She skidded to a stop and watched Black Fog fall to the floor.

Black Fog staggered to get up, but he didn't have any energy left. He breathed heavily as he gazed up at Ayden and Piik. How could this be? How could he have been defeated? He couldn't let it all end like this.

Ayden looked down on him. "Give it up, Black Fog. You've lost. It's over."

Black Fog found the strength to chuckle. "Over? Not yet. There's still one more move I can make."

Ayden furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about? You can barely get off the floor and you're severely injured. There's nothing left for you to do."

Black Fog grinned. "Oh, but I disagree. If I can't leave this tower, if it's my destiny to be killed here, then I will at least take you all with me!"

Ayden's eyes widened when he saw Black Fog's body glow white. He was going to use Self-Destruct. He braced himself as a gust of wind flowed throughout the room as Black Fog charged the attack. He couldn't attack him now; it'd just set off the explosion. He had to think of something.

Sabrina stirred and opened her eyes. She sat up and held her head as the pain caught up with her. She gazed up at Ayden, saw the aura around him, and her eyes widened in awe. She knew he had a power within him, never did she imagine it would be this powerful.

Her attention then focused on Black Fog and how it was getting brighter. "What's going on?"

Ayden turned to her. "We have to go! Black Fog is about use Self-Destruct! Can you teleport us out?"

Sabrina snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.

He looked over at Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar. "You three! Go get all the shamans out of the tower! Hurry!"

The three saluted and disappeared.

Ayden, Piik, and Sabrina got to the others and teleported out of the tower.

They reappeared outside and found Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar waiting for them with the shamans. They turned toward the tower when they heard an explosion. Debris flew in every direction and the top floors of the tower crumbled and crashed to the ground. Fire quickly spread, scorching the remains of the top levels of the tower.

Ayden, Piik, and Sabrina took several deep breaths as they watched the explosion wind down.

Sabrina gazed up at the tower. "Is… is it over?"

Ayden closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the energies of everyone there, but couldn't feel Black Fog at all. He nodded. "Yeah, it's over. I can't sense Black Fog anymore. He's gone for good this time. Can't say I'm surprised he'd actually kill himself over admitting defeat. He was always a sore loser."

Sabrina breathed a sigh of relief. She sat up and looked at her hands. "For ten years, I'd been wanting revenge for what he did to my friend. Now that's it's all over, I feel relieved. Now I know my friend can rest in peace."

The shamans all stirred and woke up. Each asking the others what happened or if anyone remembered anything.

Ayden smiled. "Looks like the shamans are coming around. They were able to get their souls back after all."

Sabrina smiled. "That's good to hear."

They both looked up when they saw a white light descend from the top of the tower toward them. They both put up their guard, but quickly lowered it when they saw it was the spirit of Marowak. She gazed at both of them and smiled.

Ayden smiled back and stood up. "It was no trouble at all. We're just glad everything turned out okay."

Sabrina looked at him. "Wait, you can understand her?"

Ayden nodded. "Yes, she's thanking us for freeing her from Black Fog's possession. Now, she can rest in peace."

Marowak bowed and then ascended into the sky.

Haunter stared at Ayden in amazement. He'd never seen anything like that before. The way he was able to calm the spirit and send it off with a smile was so inspiring. How did he do it? What was that intoxicating power of his? It obviously would put a huge burden on him. If only there was some way he could help.

Sabrina breathed a sigh. "Now, it's finally over. Thank you. Black Fog wouldn't have been defeated if not for you. But I must ask, who are you? I know you're not Ayden, but the power inside of him. Who exactly are you?"

Ayden didn't respond. The aura he emitted vanished, his eyes went back to their normal hazelnut colors, and Piik went back to normal as well.

Sabrina watched in horror as Ayden fell forward and hit the ground. "Ayden. Ayden!"

* * *

The car swerved, hit the guardrail, and then tumbled into the water. He found himself submerged and scrambling to unhook his belt. He woke up in the hospital, where the doctor told him he'd lost his family. Soon, he stood inside the funeral home, looking at the three open coffins. He extended his hand out to them and everything went blank.

* * *

He opened his eyes and looked at his hand that was extended out like in his dream. He was lying in a bed and his arms were covered in bandages. He sat up and looked around, wondering where he was. The window to the room was ajar, letting in a slight breeze. The desk in the corner was filled with "thank you" and "get well soon" cards and gift baskets.

He held his head as images from his dream replayed in his mind.

The door to his room opened and a nurse appeared. She smiled and ushered in the others. Mendy, Jin, and Nami entered the room with Piik riding on Mendy's shoulder. As soon as she saw Ayden, she jumped down onto the bed and ran into his arms.

Ayden lightly smiled. "Hey, Piik, how're you doing?" Piik smiled and nuzzled up against him.

Jin smiled. "Hey, man! Glad to see you're back with us! How're you feeling?"

Ayden rubbed his head. "Okay, I guess. Where are we?"

Mendy sat on the side of the bed. "We're at a hospital in Lavender Town. The townspeople were so grateful for what we did, they insisted we recover here."

Ayden's eyes widened. "Wait, what happened with Black Fog? How'd we win?"

Nami looked at him and tilted her head. "Wait, you don't know? You don't remember what happened?"

Ayden shook his head. "No. After we launched our attacks on him, we were blown back. I must've hit my head, cause the next thing I know, I'm waking up here."

Jin scratched his head. "That doesn't make any sense. Sabrina told us you were the one who took down Black Fog."

Ayden's eyes widened. "What?"

Mendy nodded. "Yeah, she said you and Piik worked together and pushed him into a corner. He then decided to use Self-Destruct and killed himself. All the souls of the shamans were returned."

Ayden turned to Piik. "Is that true? Did we really drive Black Fog into a corner?" Piik nodded and Ayden shook his head. "Wow. You're just incredible, aren't you, Piik? By the way, how long was I out?"

Mendy looked at the others then back to him. "Three days."

Ayden turned to her with widened eyes. "Three days?"

Jin took a seat. "Yeah, man. You were out cold. Must've really exhausted yourself fighting Black Fog."

Ayden stared at his bedsheets. "Yeah… I must have."

* * *

After resting up for the rest of the day, the group made their way outside the following morning where they met Sabrina. Everyone greeted her warmly, but Nami averted her gaze.

She crossed her arms. "Why are you still here? Don't you have a gym to get back to in Saffron?"

Sabrina turned to her. "I, as well as Kadabra, had to take a couple days to rest as well. Using my powers to rescue you from death took quite a toll." Nami's face reddened and she scowled. Sabrina turned to Ayden. "Ayden, how're you feeling?"

Ayden lightly smiled. "I'm doing okay. Still a little sore, but I'll pull through. How're you and Kadabra doing?"

Sabrina smiled. "That's good to hear. We're doing well. Thank you for asking. Please, as a token of my gratitude for helping me at the tower, allow me to escort you all to Saffron City."

Jin beamed. "Really? That'd be fantastic, thank you!"

Ayden nodded. "Yes, thank you, we really appreciate it."

Sabrina looked over at Ayden. "It's no problem at all. After everything you've done in defeating Black Fog, this is the least I can do."

She gazed at him and her mind wandered. What was it about this young man? What kind of power was that he displayed at the tower? It was something she'd never seen before. She did know one thing for certain, his powers were far greater than her own. She wasn't even sure how their gym battle was going to play out. He seemed to have a knack for defying destiny.

She took a deep breath. "Well, shall we be on our way?"

As they all joined hands, they looked up and saw Haunter fly from the tower toward them. He circled around Ayden and laughed with each lap he took.

Ayden waved to them. "Hey, Haunter. What are you doing here? Don't you have to be with Gastly and Gengar?" Haunter scratched his head and then laughed. Ayden listened to him for a bit and nodded. "So, you're saying you want to come with me?"

Haunter nodded.

Gastly and Gengar soon appeared and approached Haunter. They didn't want him to leave. He can't just leave the comedy trio like that? What about their dream?

Ayden turned to Haunter. "Haunter, are you sure you want to come with me?"

Haunter nodded. He spoke to Gastly and Gengar and told them he wanted to go with Ayden and help him. With all that he had to do and had been through, he would need someone to help lift his spirits. He was determined to get Ayden to laugh and relax. It was the best way he could think of to pay him back for defeating Black Fog.

Gastly and Gengar looked at each other for a bit. The team wouldn't be the same without him, but he'd be continuing the trio's mission of spreading laughter all over the world. The smiled and gave Haunter their blessing.

Haunter turned to Ayden and gave a thumbs up.

Ayden lightly smiled. "So, you want to come along with me?" Haunter nodded and Ayden pulled out a pokéball. "Okay then. Haunter, welcome to the group. I look forward to working with you."

He tapped Haunter on the head and they watched as he disappeared inside the ball. It wiggled for a few seconds before clicking.

Jin pumped his fists into the air. "Way to go, man!"

Mendy clapped. "Congratulations, Ayden."

Nami turned the other way. "Yeah, just keep that thing away from me."

Sabrina placed her hand on his shoulder. "Congratulations, Ayden. I look forward to our battle. Come on, let's get you all to the city."

Ayden nodded and turned to Gastly and Gengar. "I'll take good care of him. You don't have to worry."

They sobbed and waved goodbye as Sabrina teleported them all to Saffron City. When they arrived, they stood in front of Sabrina's gym.

Sabrina placed her hands on her hips. "Well, this is it. Welcome to the Saffron City gym."

The group gazed at it in awe, while Nami turned her head and scoffed. She heard a voice in the distance and immediately turned in that direction. She saw a tall buff boy of early teens running with a bunch of other teens. They all wore white gi, were barefoot, and ran to the boy's cadence.

Jin turned to the noise. "Hey, what's going on over there? Some sort of training or something?"

Nami sighed. "Yeah, you could call it something like that."

The boy noticed Nami in the distance and immediately called the runners to stop. He then proceeded to run toward her at an amazing speed. When he arrived, the group got a better look at him. He stood as tall as Jin, but had more muscle mass. He had short light-brown hair and brown eyes.

He walked up to Nami and smiled. "I knew I wasn't seeing things! I can't believe it! Welcome back, Nami!"

Nami smiled. "Hey, good to see you too, Nathan. Wow, look at you. Someone's been training. I see you've got your black belt."

Nathan blushed and laughed nervously. "Oh yeah! Glad you noticed. I've gotten a lot stronger since you last saw me, and I'm ready to prove to you that I'm worthy of-,"

He trailed off when he saw Sabrina. He jumped in front of Nami and took a fighting stance. "What the hell is she doing here?"

Sabrina stepped forward. "This is my gym. I was escorting my next challenger to it."

Nathan clenched his teeth. "You don't deserve that gym and you know it! The rights to being the official Saffron City gym belong to Nami's father, the greatest martial artist who ever lived!"

Jin turned to Nami. "Hey, what's he talking about?"

Nami turned to him and clenched her fists. "She's the reason… my father took his own life."

* * *

 *****I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it.**

 *****Chapter 22 will be posted around the same time at the end of January! The story will be on break for the next month, cause we all have families to get back to for the holidays. So, in light of that, look forward to the next chapter and see you all next year!**


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